Privacy concerns in Amazon and Aetna-CVS health deals

Anyone who has ever ordered a bottle of pain reliever or book about a particular disease from Amazon knows that the e-commerce giant already has medical-related information about its users. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Last December, CVS Health and Aetna Inc. announced plans to merge—combining one of the nation’s largest health insurers with one of its biggest retail pharmacies. The companies’ hope is to leverage the massive data pool that would be created by the deal, which currently is under review by the U.S. Department of Justice, to deliver more personalized and efficient health care.

And last month, Amazon.com announced that it would be teaming up with Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. to create an independent health care company for the companies’ employees. Around that same time, Amazon also posted a job listing for a professional experienced with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 to work on health care-related compliance matters.