Amazon One Medical, the primary care provider acquired by the retail giant in 2022, has introduced a virtual healthcare service for children between the ages of 2 and 11, the company revealed on Thursday. Message-based consultations are priced at $29, while video appointments are available for $49.
This healthcare offering does not require insurance or a One Medical membership and is designed to address conditions such as pink eye, lice, and over ten skin-related concerns, including eczema, insect bites, contact dermatitis, fungal infections, and more. The service also provides prescription renewals for EpiPens and asthma medications.
In 2024, Amazon began providing a pay-per-visit virtual care service for adults.
“This offering is not intended to take the place of a family’s relationship with their child’s pediatrician, but rather to provide a convenient solution for those in-between situations when parents have urgent concerns and lack immediate access through a One Medical membership,” stated Natasha Bhuyan, MD, family physician and national medical director at Amazon One Medical, in a press release.
This development comes as other companies, including Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart, are reducing their retail health operations.
Last week, Amazon rolled out prescription vending machines at its One Medical locations, beginning in Los Angeles. These kiosks offer a selection of frequently prescribed medications, such as antibiotics, inhalers, and treatments for high blood pressure.
The introduction of these kiosks could pose a challenge to traditional pharmacies, which are already facing difficulties. For example, Rite Aid recently shut down all its remaining stores; CVS has closed more than 1,000 locations since 2021; and Walgreens has shuttered 500 stores over the past year.
The debut of the new pay-per-visit service for children is Amazon’s latest step in broadening its role in healthcare. In 2018, Amazon acquired the online pharmacy PillPack for $750 million, followed by the launch of Amazon Pharmacy in 2020. Two years later, it purchased One Medical for $3.9 billion.