Amazon is expanding its Clinic healthcare platform to all 50 U.S. states, plus Washington D.C.
Amazon Clinic launched in November 2022 to help people seek medical help for more than 30 common health conditions such as migraines, sinus infections, and pink eye.
The service doesn’t use its own physicians but instead acts as a way of connecting patients with licensed clinicians for virtual care. Current provider groups include Wheel, SteadyMD, Curai Health, and Hello Alpha.
This week’s update means that so-called “video visits” are now supported across the U.S., while message-based consultations are available in 34 states.
The service is available around the clock and is accessed via Amazon’s website and mobile app. The platform lets you compare response times and prices from multiple telehealth provider groups, fill out an intake form, and link up with your selected provider.
Depending on your location, you can then connect via messaging or a video call, without the need for an appointment or insurance (Amazon Clinic doesn’t currently accept insurance, though you’re able to use it to help pay for medications prescribed through the service).
Following a consultation, the clinician will then come up with a treatment plan, which may include a prescription.
As for cost, Amazon says that each third-party telehealth provider sets its own prices for each treatment (you can compare prices by visiting Amazon Clinic’s condition page). On average, the service’s messaging-based consultations cost $35, while video visits cost $75.
“As a doctor, I’ve seen firsthand that patients want to be healthy but lack the time, tools, or resources to effectively manage their care,” Dr. Nworah Ayogu, chief medical officer and general manager at Amazon Clinic, said in a release announcing the expansion. “Amazon provides multiple health services to provide the choice, convenience, and continuity of care customers need when it comes to their health.”
Amazon Clinic is part of ongoing efforts by the tech giant to build a presence in the healthcare sector and follows several acquisitions in the field in recent years.