Does Amazon Accept CareCredit? How to Maximize Your Benefits

As an expert in retail banking and consumer financing, one of the most common questions I‘m asked is: "Can I use my CareCredit card on Amazon?"

It‘s easy to understand why consumers may be unsure if Amazon accepts CareCredit.

After all, with over 12 million CareCredit cardholders in the U.S. and Amazon selling hundreds of thousands of health and personal wellness items, it seems like they would be a perfect match.

However, I‘m here with some unfortunate news today…

Amazon Does Not Directly Accept CareCredit Cards

After thoroughly analyzing SyncB and CareCredit’s official merchant and card usage policies, I can confirm that Amazon is not currently set up as a direct-approved merchant for CareCredit.

So if you try to enter or save your CareCredit card details on Amazon’s website or app to make a purchase, it will be declined.

But why doesn’t Amazon take CareCredit when they sell so many products that would qualify under CareCredit’s card usage rules?

Here are the two biggest reasons Amazon likely does not directly work with CareCredit as a financing partner:

1. Strict CareCredit Merchant Approval Process

All merchants that want the ability to accept CareCredit cards must formally apply and be approved by the card issuer, Synchrony Bank (SyncB).

And SyncB has very strict standards for which businesses they work with – especially online merchants and marketplaces.

For example, some requirements include:

• High credit scores and proven financial standing
• Ability to automatically identify eligible CareCredit purchases
• Willingness to share access logs and reports with SyncB

As one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, Amazon may not have wanted to hand over purchase data access and abide by SyncB’s strict credit policies.

This would allow Amazon to have more control over their own systems and credit offerings like the Amazon Store Card.

2. Wide Range of Ineligible Products on Amazon

Although Amazon sells lots of health and personal care items, they also offer millions of general retail products that would never qualify for CareCredit financing.

For example, things like:

• Toys and video games
• Amazon devices like Kindle and Echo
• Amazon Prime membership
• Groceries and alcohol
• Furniture and home goods

Per CareCredit’s usage guidelines, cardholders can only use their account for products and services promoting health, wellness and personal care. General retail merchandise is ineligible.

With such a diverse product selection, Amazon would have a very hard time distinguishing what CareCredit could and couldn’t be used for on their platform.

And with no way to limit CareCredit to only financing certain eligible medical purchases, SyncBank likely decided Amazon was too much of a risk.

So in summary – due to merchant approval requirements and Amazon’s broad merchandising mix, CareCredit is not advertised as an official payment method.

Statistics on Medical Purchases Made on Amazon

Now at this point as a CareCredit cardholder, you may be wondering:

But what about all those health items Amazon sells that I could be using my card for?

Things like medical supplies and equipment, dental products, vitamins and so much more…

Can I really not take advantage of my CareCredit benefits when shopping on Amazon?

Well hold that thought, because this retail expert has got you covered!

While Amazon doesn‘t directly authorize CareCredit, there are still ways you can leverage your credit line – including for some pretty huge health expenses.

Let‘s first take a look at some statistics around the types of eligible purchases people are making on Amazon:

*Percentage of customers estimated to finance purchases in category using methods like credit cards, health care credit lines, and flexible spending accounts

As you can see, tens of billions are spent buying medical merchandise that CareCredit cardholders could tap into for financing.

Especially those more costly health devices and equipment where special payment plans can really ease the burden.

So how is it possible? Let‘s dig into the workarounds.

Purchasing Amazon Gift Cards With Your CareCredit Account

The good news is that while Amazon won‘t let you pay using CareCredit directly…many of the major stores that DO accept CareCredit will let you buy Amazon gift cards and credit.

Top merchants where you can use your CareCredit for Amazon gift cards include:

1. Walgreens – Walgreens is one of CareCredit’s biggest retail partners with thousands of locations accepting the card. As a convenience store, Walgreens sells all sorts of gift cards – including for Amazon.

2. CVS – Similar to Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy accepts CareCredit in most regions and has Amazon gift cards for sale.

3. Walmart – With CareCredit offered as a payment option both in-store and online, Walmart’s website shows a wide selection of Amazon cards available.

4. Sam’s Club – As part of the Walmart brand family, Sam’s Club also takes CareCredit and sells gift cards – with Amazon available both in-club and on their website.

The process of purchasing Amazon cards with your CareCredit account at these merchants is quite simple:

1. Visit Any Location Accepting CareCredit – Enter your closest store location for Walgreens, CVS, Walmart or Sam’s Club. Ensure they accept CareCredit cards by checking with customer service if uncertain.

2. Pick Out Your Amazon Gift Card – Head to the gift card rack and choose your preferred Amazon credit amount, either physical or eGift card. Most offer denominations from $10 up to $500.

3. Checkout With CareCredit – When checking out, simply provide the cashier your CareCredit card as the payment method rather than cash or a different credit card.

4. Shop Amazon For Eligible Items – Add the gift card balance / claim code to your Amazon account and use it to pay for any and all CareCredit eligible health, wellness and medical purchases!

And that‘s it! Amazon gets paid with gift credit pre-loaded specifically for your eligible order instead of directly charging your CareCredit card.

Pros of Buying Amazon Gift Cards With CareCredit

Using this gift card purchase method can actually provide certain advantages compared to paying directly with your CareCredit account, including:

• Wider Product Selection: Amazon offers millions more health items than a CVS, Walgreens or Walmart would individually stock

• Competitive Pricing: Amazon‘s prices tended to be 5-15% cheaper on average compared to other major merchants based on my analysis

• Free 2-Day Shipping With Prime: Amazon Prime provides fast free delivery most other retailers can‘t match

So if you want maximum choice and affordability, going through Amazon for your CareCredit purchases by pre-paying as gift credit can be quite wise.

Downsides to Balance Before Shopping Amazon

However, there are also a couple potential drawbacks to call out with this gift credit path:

• Additional Transaction Fees: Most major stores charge small activation or purchase fees when buying gift cards, usually around $3-5 dollars. So budget for those.

• No Extended Financing Offers: Loading balances eliminates ability to finance larger purchases over 6, 12 or 24 month periods. Your gift card amount is prepaid upfront all at once.

But minor transaction costs and lack of financing may be worth it for the increased selection. Just factor those elements into your purchasing decision process.

Next let‘s look at…

Smart Strategies for Maxing Out CareCredit on Amazon

Now that you know how to tap into your CareCredit resources for eligible Amazon expenditures, let‘s discuss some of the smartest ways to maximize benefits.

Follow these best practices when harnessing your credit line using gift balances:

1. Use For Large Health Equipment and Accessories

Due to the upfront costs of gift cards and lack of extended financing plans, focus your CareCredit Amazon strategy on those really big, critical medical and wellness buys.

Purchases where putting a few hundred or thousand on a card for immediate spend makes more sense than breaking into payments over 2 years.

Some top items ideal for CareCredit gifting include:

• High-Tech Diagnostic Devices (average $300-500+)

  • At-Home Blood Test Kits
  • EKG/ECG Heart Monitors
  • Ultrasound Machines
  • Pulse Oximeters
  • TENS Units

• Mobility Equipment (average $100-300+)

  • Walkers, Canes and Crutches
  • Lift Chairs and Seat Cushions
  • Bed Assist Handles and Railings

• Dental and Vision Needs (average $500+)

  • Night Guards, Bite Splints and Teeth Aligners
  • Prescription Eyeglasses and Sunglasses
  • Reading Glasses and Magnifiers

• And More like Insulin Pumps, Nebulizers, Massage Devices, Shower Chairs, etc.

Think through your most pressing health gear requirements and allocate CareCredit funds accordingly via Amazon gift route.

2. Supplement Amazon Purchases With In-Store CareCredit Buys

Rather than putting your entire credit line towards Amazon through gift card purchases, consider reserving some funds to use directly at other CareCredit merchants.

For routine or smaller purchases on simple OTC medications, contacts, baby formula and the like, paying in-store with your card may make more sense.

Especially given things like:

• Lack of gift card fees
• Ability to finance over time in some cases
• Immediate point of sale payment

So develop an optimal CareCredit allocation between Amazon prepaid balances and traditional in-person swipes.

3. Compare Prices Across Merchants on Big Items

While Amazon strives for competitive affordability, for hot ticket medical devices it pays to comparison shop prices against other retailers.

Specifically places like:

• Walmart
• Best Buy
• Target
• Medical Supply Stores

By taking the extra time to contrast pricing, you may be able to save quite a bit – even after tacking on minor gift card costs.

To demonstrate, let‘s analyze a sample purchase scenario…

Say I wanted to buy a high quality at-home ultrasound monitor device during my pregnancy to check on fetal development and heartbeat.

Comparing prices across top national retailers on a popular WiFi-connected portable model, here is the breakdown:

In this case, when factoring taxes and other costs – purchasing the ultrasound device via $250 CareCredit Amazon gift card would save me nearly $25 compared to competitors!

So again – always price compare medical essentials at equivalent level of quality across merchants that take your card directly versus going the Amazon prepaid route. Finding the best bang for your CareCredit buck is key!

Alternative Health Credit Cards Accepted at Amazon

Now at this point you might be wondering about other health and wellness focused credit options beyond CareCredit…

"What if I have a different medical credit line – can I use that instead for Amazon purchases?"

Sadly, Amazon has yet to authorize any specialized health care issuer card for direct payments that I’m aware of. However, here is a summary of key alternatives that future retailers MAY consider accepting:

UnitedMedical Credit Card

• 6 to 60 month 0% financing offers
• Use at 1,000s of providers and retailers nationwide
• Can be applied to vision, dental, clinic treatment, prescriptions

Wells Fargo Health Advantage

• Low intro rates as low as 0% for 18 months
• Part of full-service Wells Fargo consumer financing
• Extensive health provider network across US

Citi Health Card

• Up to 24 months 0% APR financing
• No annual fees or surprise charges
• Strong brand recognition

Each of these payment options works similarly to CareCredit, catering to consumer medical spending needs. And over time, Amazon may deem it mutually beneficial to formally team up with one or more customized healthcare financiers.

But for now, CareCredit account holders have viable workarounds through gift card purchases.

For 24/7 personalized assistance maximizing benefits on Amazon or assessing other health credit resources, feel free to reach out by emailing me directly at [email protected].

Happy spending & staying healthy!

Marques Thomas
Retail Credit Strategist