Giles Bruce
Amazon Prime members can now get healthcare for an extra $9 a month.
The tech giant launched One Medical for Prime on Nov. 8, hoping to capitalize on its nearly $4 billion acquisition of the membership-based primary care company earlier this year.
The new service offers One Medical subscriptions to Prime members at a discounted rate, giving them unlimited 24/7 virtual visits and online scheduling for same- or next-day appointments at One Medical’s more than 200 brick-and-mortar clinics.
“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 of Amazon Health, in a Nov. 8 blog post. “That’s why we are bringing One Medical’s exceptional experience to Prime members — it’s healthcare that makes it dramatically easier to get and stay healthy.”
The new service marks the tech giant’s latest entry into healthcare following this year’s nationwide rollout of the Amazon Clinic telehealth platform and introduction of RxPass, which offers generic prescriptions to Prime members for $5 a month.
The move also shows Amazon’s willingness to integrate its new healthcare offerings into its existing services. Amazon Prime’s estimated 200 million members already pay $14.99 a month (or $139 annually) for free, speedy deliveries of everything from toothpaste to pillowcases — now they can add healthcare for an extra $9 monthly (or $99 for the whole year). The One Medical memberships typically run $199 per year.
“This new benefit is the latest example of how we’re making it easier for Prime members to take care of their health,” said Jamil Ghani, vice president of Amazon Prime, in the blog post.
One Medical for Prime members can access the on-demand virtual visits at no extra cost through the One Medical app, including messaging-based care for common conditions such as seasonal allergies or cold sores (via the Treat Me Now feature), or urgent video chats for issues like minor injuries or high fevers.
The virtual visits are staffed by One Medical primary care providers, of which the company has “thousands,” a spokesperson told Becker’s. In-person and scheduled remote appointments are not included in the membership and are billed to insurance or the patient via self-pay.
Like other healthcare disruptors, One Medical also continues to grow its hospital partnerships. The concierge primary care company has specialty care referral agreements with health systems in its nearly 20 local markets.
Amazon launches One Medical for Prime (beckershospitalreview.com)