Amazon Medicaid Discount 2022 (How You Can Save + More)
Are you or someone in your family enrolled in Medicaid? If so, this is an excellent opportunity for you to save money on Amazon Prime membership! Amazon offers a steep discount that makes Prime much more affordable for Medicaid recipients. Read on to learn all about this discount program so you can start saving now!
What is Medicaid?
First, let‘s make sure you understand what Medicaid is. Medicaid is a public health insurance program providing coverage to millions of Americans with low incomes and limited resources. It is run jointly by state and federal governments.
To give you a sense of Medicaid‘s scope – over 80 million Americans are covered by Medicaid plans! This includes low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities.
Medicaid eligibility is based on having income below certain limits, which vary by state. For example, in 2022 a single person can earn up to $18,754 per year and qualify for Medicaid in most states. Limits are higher for larger households.
Applicants must also meet asset limits, which are around $2,000 – $3,000 in personal assets for an individual. Resources like your home, car, and retirement accounts are not counted.
Once enrolled, Medicaid provides free or low-cost health coverage. It pays for doctor visits, hospital stays, long-term care, prescription medications, mental healthcare, and more. Some states even cover added benefits like dental and vision care.
Medicaid covers healthcare services at little to no cost. There are small copays for some expenses, but no deductibles or monthly premiums. This comprehensive coverage provides real financial security.
When you qualify, Medicaid plans are available from both private insurers and state-run options depending on your state. You can compare plans to choose the best coverage and included benefits for your needs.
Now let‘s look at how Amazon‘s discounted Prime membership can save you even more money if you have Medicaid.
Overview of Amazon‘s Medicaid Discount
Amazon offers a Prime membership discount for all Medicaid recipients in the United States. With this discount, you pay just $5.99 per month rather than the regular $14.99 Prime membership fee.
This equals over 50% off a Prime membership! In total, you save about $72 per year compared to a regular Prime membership. For Medicaid enrollees on tight budgets, those savings can really add up.
With the discounted Prime membership, you get full access to all of Prime‘s usual benefits, including:
- Free 2-day shipping on over 100 million products
- Free same-day or 1-day delivery in select areas
- Free release-date delivery for new products
- Free streaming of movies, shows, and music with Prime Video
- Free books, magazines, and more to read with Prime Reading
- Exclusive member-only deals and discounts
As you can see, the Medicaid-discounted membership provides immense value, especially considering the small $5.99 monthly fee. Keep reading to learn how to qualify and sign up!
Medicaid Discount Eligibility: Who Qualifies?
Eligibility for the discounted Prime membership aligns with Medicaid qualification criteria. You must have an active Medicaid health insurance plan to qualify for the $5.99 monthly rate.
When you sign up, Amazon verifies your Medicaid status by having you submit a photo of your Medicaid insurance card. Make sure the card shows your name and current eligibility dates.
You can also qualify if you receive these government assistance programs:
- SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
- WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)
- TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
- Free/Reduced Price School Lunch
As long as you have documentation proving you receive one of those benefits, you can sign up for the discounted Prime membership.
The Medicaid discount is only for new Prime sign-ups. Unfortunately, there is no way to switch an existing full-price Prime membership over to the discounted rate. You would need to cancel and re-sign up with your Medicaid card.
Step-by-Step Sign Up Instructions
Ready to start saving? Signing up takes just a few minutes if you have the required eligibility documentation. Follow these steps:
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Go to amazon.com/qualify
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Click "Get Started" under Medicaid and SNAP benefits.
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Select whether you will verify with a Medicaid card or other documentation.
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Enter your name exactly as it appears on your documentation.
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Upload a clear picture of either your Medicaid card or eligibility document. Double check that your name and eligibility dates are readable.
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Click submit and Amazon will verify if you qualify.
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If approved, you can now enroll in a Prime membership at the discounted rate of $5.99 per month.
That‘s all it takes! Amazon will apply the discount as long as you have valid proof of Medicaid enrollment or other accepted programs.
I recommend signing up right away to maximize your savings. The discount makes Prime a steal at just $72 for a full year!
Tips for Maximizing Savings
Here are some tips to maximize savings with a Medicaid-discounted Prime membership:
Take advantage of free shipping – No minimum order size required to get free shipping. Everything ships free with Prime, so you can make small orders without fees.
Use Amazon Subscribe & Save – Set up automatic regular deliveries of household essentials like toilet paper, laundry pods, baby wipes, pet food, and more. Subscribers save up to 15% plus an extra 5% off with 5 or more items.
Access Prime Video – Stream movies, shows, and Amazon original series for free. A Prime Video subscription on its own costs $8.99 per month.
Read free books and magazines – Check out Kindle books, magazines, comics, and more with Prime Reading. Includes best-sellers and Kindle exclusives.
Listen to music free – Access over 2 million songs and thousands of playlists at no extra cost with Amazon Music Prime.
Share Prime with family – Add up to 4 household members to your account so they can also use your Prime membership benefits (with some limits).
Buy discounted gift cards – Save up to 20% when you purchase gift cards for other brands to use later. You can save on brands like Starbucks, Nike, PlayStation, and more.
Follow these tips and take full advantage of everything included with a Medicaid-discounted Prime membership!
How Long Does the Discount Last?
The discounted $5.99 monthly Prime rate lasts for 12 months as long as you maintain Medicaid eligibility.
Amazon will send you a reminder email 30-60 days before your annual renewal date. To keep the discount, you must re-submit valid Medicaid documentation.
As long as you still qualify for Medicaid, you can renew the discounted membership up to 3 more times. So the low price can last for a total of 4 years!
Once your 4 years are up, you would pay the regular Prime membership rate if you renew. Of course, you can also cancel Prime at any point if you decide it‘s no longer worth it.
Comparing Medicaid Discounted Prime to Other Options
How does the Medicaid-discounted Prime membership compare to other Amazon membership options? Here is a quick rundown:
| Membership Type | Monthly Cost | Key Perks |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid-Discounted Prime | $5.99 | Free shipping, streaming, discounts |
| Standard Prime | $14.99 | Free shipping, streaming, discounts |
| Prime Student | $7.49 | Free shipping, streaming, discounts |
| Prime EBT | $6.99 | Free shipping, discounts |
As you can see above, the Medicaid discount offers the lowest monthly payment. It has all the same Prime benefits as regular Prime for over 50% off!
The only potential alternative is Prime EBT which costs $1 more per month. But Prime EBT does not include Prime Video streaming.
Overall, Medicaid-discounted Prime provides maximum value and savings versus other options.
Cancelling a Medicaid-Discounted Prime Membership
You can cancel a discounted Prime membership at any time just like a paid membership. Simply go to your Amazon account and click the "Manage Prime Membership" button.
Or, you can contact Amazon customer service by phone or online chat and request to cancel Prime.
When you cancel, you will continue having access to Prime benefits until the end of your current billing period. So you still get the full value you already paid for.
If you cancel within 3-4 days of signing up, you can get a full refund. Otherwise, you will receive a prorated refund based on the remaining time left in your membership period.
Is a Discounted Prime Membership Worth It for Medicaid Recipients?
For most Medicaid enrollees, the answer is yes – a discounted Prime membership offers great value and savings. Here is a quick rundown of the pros and cons:
Pros
- Saves 50% on a Prime membership at just $5.99 per month
- Provides free shipping on almost all Amazon orders
- Lets you stream TV, movies, and music for free
- Grants access to member-only discounts and deals
- Discounted further with Subscribe & Save orders
- Can share benefits with family at the same address
Cons
- Must re-verify Medicaid status yearly to keep discount
- Doesn‘t include Prime Gaming or Amazon Fresh/Whole Foods discounts
- Can only be used by new Prime members, not existing ones
Considering the small monthly fee unlocks free shipping, entertainment, and other perks, the pros seem to heavily outweigh the cons for most Medicaid recipients.
Unless you rarely shop online or care about gaming/grocery discounts, the savings are well worth it. Give the discounted membership a try to enjoy Prime benefits on a budget!
Conclusion
Hopefully this guide gave you a thorough understanding of how Amazon‘s Medicaid discount works and how you can start saving.
To recap, Prime membership is just $5.99 per month with Medicaid, saving you 50% off the regular cost. Sign up is quick and easy with valid eligibility documentation.
Take advantage of free shipping on orders, access to Prime Video streaming, discounts for subscribers, and other great perks.
Keep your membership discounted for up to 4 years by re-verifying Medicaid annually when Amazon reminds you.
Consider sharing Prime with family members in your household so they can enjoy the benefits too.
With the Medicaid discount, Amazon Prime becomes more affordable than ever. Take advantage of this program to save money if you qualify!