Amazon’s new health care push: $99 a year for access to One Medical primary care
The e-commerce giant is looking to its Prime members to bolster its newly-acquired, nationwide primary care service: For an additional $99 a year, members can have 24/7 access to health care services.
A year after Amazon bought One Medical, an in-person and virtual primary care practice, the e-commerce company is now expanding its health care reach by offering Amazon Prime subscribers discounted One Medical memberships for an additional $9 per month or $99 annually.
The new deal will reduce a One Medical membership by $100 to $99 a year, Amazon announced on Wednesday. A Prime subscription, which costs $139 a year, offers speedy shipping and video streaming.
With the annual One Medical fee, subscribers can schedule appointments and get medical advice through a smartphone app. They’re also eligible for virtual visits, however, the fee doesn’t cover in-person visits and other care that may include a co-pay or other costs, depending on a patient’s insurance.
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One Medical offers 24/7 virtual care, online appointment booking, medical records release, prescription renewals and specialist referrals. Prime members can add up to five additional family members to their One Medical subscription for $6 per month per person.
Prime members also have exclusive access to benefits from Amazon Pharmacy, including RxPass, which is available in 42 states. The pharmacy lets members get as many eligible medications as they need for one flat fee of $5 per month and have them delivered free to their doors in two days or less. In addition, Prime Rx offers 80% off on prescriptions when not using insurance at Amazon Pharmacy.
Amazon, which has been rapidly expanding its reach into the health care space, bought One Medical for $3.9 billion in 2022, and now operates 220 clinics in 29 metropolitan areas. The company also began Amazon Clinic, which aims to treat common conditions like allergies, hair loss and skin conditions, last year. Amazon purchased mail-order pharmacy PillPack in 2018, then rolled out Amazon Pharmacy in 2020 during the pandemic’s early days, when many consumers were avoiding brick-and-mortar pharmacies.
Amazon also gained additional access into the employer market, as One Medical works with more than 8,500 companies nationwide, which pay a $199 membership cost for their workers.
“When it is easier for people to get the care they need, they engage more in their health, and realize better health outcomes,” said Neil Lindsay, senior vice president, Amazon Health, in an Amazon blog post. “That’s why we are bringing One Medical’s exceptional experience to Prime members—it’s health care that makes it dramatically easier to get and stay healthy.”