Amazon Expands Telehealth with Low-Cost Plans

Amazon One Medical is adding more telehealth services with the start of low-cost treatment plans and medication delivery for a range of lifestyle and beauty issues

Men’s hair loss treatment plans and medications can be bought for as little as $16 a month; care products that fight age can be bought for $10 a month, and care for erectile dysfunction can be bought for $19 a month.

Medication for motion sickness and hair growth are also part of other treatment plans.

This puts Amazon in direct competition with Him & Hers. This direct-to-consumer telehealth business charges a monthly fee to help people with various health and wellness issues, such as hair loss, erectile dysfunction, weight loss, and more.

Before they go ahead with care, Prime members will be able to see how much their telehealth session and the medicine they want will cost. A text message visit on demand costs $29, and a video visit costs $49.

Amazon says that customers only have to pay for the advice and the medicine and don’t have to pay for anything else or sign up for anything else besides Amazon Prime.

Prime members can have their prescription drugs sent to them, sometimes within hours of being recommended.

The head doctor of Amazon Pharmacy, Dr. Vin Gupta, said in a press release, “This simple care experience was built to meet the needs of today’s customer.” We’re trying to make it easier for people who want to get care but are tired of dealing with the problems in our healthcare system, standing in long lines at the pharmacy, or worrying about getting a surprise bill or medication cost.

The news on Thursday was Amazon’s latest move to speed up its healthcare services.

Amazon Pharmacy said a few weeks ago that it would deliver medicines the same day in 20 more U.S. cities next year. These cities include Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and San Diego. Amazon will talk about the other 15 towns in the next few months.

Amazon bought the leading health tech company One Medical in 2022 and brought Amazon One Medical to market the next year. The company bought the online pharmacy PillPack in 2018 and opened Amazon Pharmacy in 2020. For $5 a month, Amazon Prime members in the U.S. can get as many generic versions of medications as they need through RxPass, a service that Amazon started last year.