Amazon intros new healthcare benefit for Prime members
Amazon’s foray into health care is continuing to evolve.
The company is rolling out a new Prime membership benefit which it described as one that brings high-quality care from One Medical to Prime members.
"It’s a healthcare experience designed around customers, with a care team that’s on call and ready for members when and where they need them. One Medical, an Amazon company, has been reinventing the healthcare experience to make it easier for people to get the health care they need—from preventive care, to addressing immediate concerns, to managing chronic conditions like diabetes," the company said.
The One Medical membership covers unlimited access to 24/7 on-demand virtual care, including video chats with licensed providers within minutes and an easy in-app “Treat Me Now” feature that lets members get fast care for common concerns like cold and flu, skin issues, allergies, urinary tract infections and more.
Virtual care is available nationally, and members don’t incur any additional costs for on-demand virtual care services—it’s all covered by the membership, the company noted.
[Read more: Amazon to acquire One Medical for $3.9B]
Prime members who sign up for this new benefit and live near a One Medical location also can easily schedule same- and next-day remote or in-person appointments at any of One Medical’s primary care offices across the United States.
One Medical offices are designed to make patients feel better in a stress-free and welcoming environment, offering drop-in on-site labs, appointments that start on time and longer visits with ample uninterrupted time between patients and their primary care providers. For office visits, customers use their insurance or pay out of pocket—One Medical also accepts health plans from most insurance carriers, and you can click here to see which ones.
"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. “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.”
This new Prime membership benefit is available to Prime members for just $9 a month (or $99 annually—up to $100 off the standard One Medical membership fee). Prime members can add up to five additional memberships, each costing just $6 a month (or $66 annually—up to $133 off the standard fee).
[Read more: Amazon to acquire One Medical for $3.9B]
"Whether you need to connect with a health are provider about your child’s fever in the middle of the night, quickly message your primary care provider to address a healthcare concern, or stay on track with your overall health goals, Prime now has a health care benefit that fits into your family’s life. You can connect virtually or in-person and know your care is being managed by one care team that works together to help you stay healthy," Amazon said.
Members will have the option to pay monthly or annually before checkout, and be guided to One Medical, where they can download the One Medical app, create an account, add family members and book their first appointment.
“The new One Medical benefit gives Prime members access to high-quality primary care and 24/7 on-demand virtual care for only $9 a month or $99 a year—up to $100 savings,” said Jamil Ghani, vice president of Amazon Prime. “This new benefit is the latest example of how we’re making it easier for Prime members to take care of their health. Prime members also have exclusive access to benefits from Amazon Pharmacy, including RxPass, which 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, and Prime Rx, which helps members save up to 80% on prescriptions when not using insurance at Amazon Pharmacy and over 60,000 pharmacies nationwide.”