Amazon is closed the $3.9 billion acquisition of membership-based healthcare provider One Medical, originally announced last summer. For the subscription (usually $199 per year, but currently discounted to $144 per year), One Medical offers members an app, 24/7 access to on-demand telehealth services via video, and guaranteed same- or next-day appointments available through more than 125 offices.
The FTC, which is reportedly considering filing an antitrust suit against Amazon, has been investigating this deal and others (such as iRobot) from the company. FTC spokesman Douglas Farrar said to CNBC that the investigation into this acquisition is ongoing, and “The committee will continue to review potential harm to competition caused by this merger, as well as potential harm to consumers that may result from Amazon’s monitoring and use of sensitive consumer health information that is owned by One Medical.”
While Amazon closes its deal with the temporarily discounted rate (which works out to about $12 per month by applying an ONEAMAZON code), nothing is available yet that links the health service to its Amazon Prime package or anything else. Neil Lindsay, senior vice president of Amazon Health Services, said in a press release announcing the closure, “One Medical has raised the bar for what should be a high-quality, convenient and affordable primary care experience. We are inspired by their people-centric, technology-advanced approach and excited to help them continue to grow and serve more patients.”
