Amazon rumored to be courting employers for its virtual care program
The company is reportedly looking to expand its Amazon Cares program, currently available only to Amazon employees.
Over the last year, Amazon has been making headway in the health care arena, both as an employer and a service provider. And those areas are beginning to overlap. Following its November launch of Amazon Pharmacy, the company is now looking to move further into the digital space with an expansion of Amazon Care. Launched in 2019, the program provides virtual medical care and home delivery of medications for its employees in the Seattle area.
Cigna, Aetna and others in the health care space would be well-served to look at what happened to Toys “R” Us or Borders not so long ago.
As reported by Business Insider, Amazon has been pitching the model to other major companies. The service would provide online and in-person visits for those in the Seattle area, as well as virtual services for employees in other areas.
At this point, the expansion has not been confirmed, as those who spoke with Business Insider were not authorized to do so. “We do not comment on rumor or speculation,” an Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider. “Amazon Care is a health care benefit pilot for Amazon employees in the state of Washington.”
Still, the possibility of an Amazon expansion into the virtual health care arena was enough to shake telehealth stocks. According to Stephens analyst Scott Schoenhaus, an Amazon entry into the space “could further pressure the competitive landscape of the telehealth industry.”
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