Amazon One Medical has launched a pay-per-visit virtual healthcare service for children aged 2 to 11. Announced on a Thursday, the service provides medical consultations without requiring insurance or a One Medical membership, utilizing message-based and video platforms for access.
The pricing structure is set at $29 for message-based visits and $49 for video visits. This service is designed to treat common health issues such as pink eye and lice, along with more than ten specified skin-related conditions, including eczema, bug bites, contact dermatitis, and fungal rashes. The platform also facilitates prescription renewals for EpiPen and asthma medication. This offering for children follows the introduction of a similar pay-per-visit virtual service for adults which Amazon began offering in 2024.
Natasha Bhuyan, MD, a family physician and the national medical director for Amazon One Medical, clarified the service’s intended function. “This service isn’t meant to replace a family’s relationship with their child’s pediatrician, but rather to serve as a convenient option for those ‘in-between’ moments for parents with time-sensitive concerns who don’t already have on-demand access through a One Medical membership,” Bhuyan stated in a press release.
The launch occurs as competitors including Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart are reducing their retail health operations. This development also follows Amazon’s recent debut of prescription vending machines within its One Medical clinics, a program that started in Los Angeles. These automated kiosks dispense a range of commonly prescribed drugs, such as antibiotics, inhalers, and medications for blood pressure, directly to patients.
These kiosks enter a market where brick-and-mortar pharmacies are facing significant challenges. Rite Aid recently closed all of its remaining stores, CVS has shut down over 1,000 locations since 2021, and Walgreens has closed 500 stores over the past year. The new pediatric service represents the latest step in Amazon’s expansion into the healthcare sector. This progression includes its $750 million acquisition of online pharmacy PillPack in 2018, the subsequent launch of Amazon Pharmacy in 2020, and its $3.9 billion purchase of One Medical in 2022.
