Amazon Clinic telemedicine service delayed for personal data issues
“Amazon is asking patients to turn over a ton of personal data to use their services,” Sen. Peter Welch told POLITICO in an email.
There are reports saying Amazon may be delaying its telehealth expansion after Democrats raised concern about the service.
A story in POLITICO said the Amazon Clinic will delay its launch by about three weeks to about July 19th. Amazon Clinic was supposed to have already launched in all 50 states. In a letter obtained by the news organization, Sens. Peter Welch of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts wrote a letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy over concerns that the Clinic requires patients to sign a form that gives the company “complete” access to their consumer health information.
By signing, customers authorize Amazon to share their data and acknowledge that it’s not protected by HIPAA, the federal health privacy law.
“Amazon Clinic customers deserve to fully understand why Amazon is collecting their health care data and what the company is doing with it,” Welch and Warren wrote, complaining that the company hasn’t explained on its site why it’s collecting the data and what it’s used for.
The Senators are interested in seeing a sample contract with third-party providers that give care to Amazon Clinic enrolees, disclose the data it shares, and if it’s used to sell Amazon products, according to the news report.
“Amazon is asking patients to turn over a ton of personal data to use their services,” Welch told POLITICO in an email. “It can’t be that Big Tech companies can ask for a treasure trove of personal information to let you use their services but face no accountability for what they’ll do with it.”
A spokesperson for Amazon told the news outlet: “Amazon Clinic has stringent customer privacy policies, and complies with HIPAA and all other applicable laws and regulations. We’re focused on building products and services that our customers love, and we look forward to continuing to bring Amazon Clinic to even more customers to help address their everyday health care needs.”
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In a joint statement, the two senators said they hoped the delay “is a sign that Amazon has taken our concerns about data collection and use practices seriously.”