Amazon Offers One Medical Services as Prime Membership Benefit

Amazon is offering Prime members access to One Medical’s virtual and in-person primary care services as a membership benefit.

For $9 a month, or $99 annually, Prime members can access on-demand virtual care at no additional cost and in-person care at brick-and-mortar One Medical primary care offices across the United States. Prime members would save up to $100 off the standard One Medical membership fee at this price.

The virtual care services are offered through the One Medical app. The services include video chats with licensed healthcare providers and an in-app feature that provides access to care for common conditions like the cold, flu, skin issues, allergies, and urinary tract infections. Further, the app offers prescription management and secure messaging capabilities.

One Medical also includes hundreds of primary care offices that offer same- and next-day remote or in-person care appointments. These sites of care provide drop-in on-site laboratory services.

“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 Services, in the press release. “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.”

One Medical accepts health plans from most insurance carriers. Prime members can also add up to five memberships for the healthcare services, costing $6 a month each.

Amazon closed its $3.9 billion acquisition of One Medical in February, taking over its nearly 200 in-person locations and virtual care services. According to Sanjula Jain, PhD, senior vice president and chief research officer at market research firm Trilliant Health, the acquisition indicated a move toward more hybrid care strategy.

"…Amazon's revised virtual care strategy will likely align with what the data shows: integrating virtual care within an in-person care delivery platform, which is what One Medical offers and one focused more on going directly to a specific segment of consumers," Jain previously told mHealthIntelligence in an email.

The acquisition made headlines and piqued government scrutiny. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requested additional information and documentary materials from Amazon and One Medical last year, indicating it may move to block the merger. However, the agency decided not to move forward with a challenge, according to Bloomberg.

The launch of the new membership benefit is the latest in a string of moves the tech giant has made to cement its place in the virtual care arena.

After shuttering its employer-focused telehealth and in-person care business in 2022, Amazon launched Amazon Clinic. This message-based service offers virtual care for several common conditions, including acne, cold sores, seasonal allergies, and urinary tract infections.

In August, the company expanded Amazon Clinic to all 50 states, providing access to several telehealth provider groups, including Wheel and SteadyMD.