Amazon Prime members can now access health care in Texas

The Federal Trade Commission previously raised privacy concerns about the company’s new partnership with the health care service. Here’s what to know:

What is One Medical?

Amazon acquired One Medical, founded 15 years ago, in February 2023.

The company offers in-office and 24/7 virtual care services, on-site labs, and programs for preventative care, chronic care management, common illnesses, and mental health concerns, according to a news release on the acquisition.

“When it is easier for people to get the care they need, they engage more in their health, and realize better health outcomes,” Neil Lindsay, senior vice president of Amazon Health Services, said in a news release on Nov. 8. “That’s why we are bringing One Medical’s exceptional experience to Prime members—it’s health care that makes it dramatically easier to get and stay healthy.”

How much does it cost?

Prime members would pay $9 a month (or $99 annually) for the membership, which regularly costs $199. They can add up to five additional memberships for $6 a month each.

How do you sign up?

Prime members can search for One Medical on Amazon.com or visit health.amazon.com/prime to sign up. They can choose to pay monthly or annually and will then be taken to One Medical’s site to download the app, make an account and add other members.

Do you still need health insurance?

Yes. You don’t need insurance to use One Medical, but the membership doesn’t cover everything. The membership fee includes access to virtual services at no extra cost, regardless of whether or not you have insurance.

However, if you need in-person care or make a pre-scheduled remote visit, that will be billed to insurance or paid out-of-pocket. The company accepts health plans from most insurance carriers.

Is your information safe?

The Federal Trade Commission issued a statement after the February acquisition concerned about the risk of the companies violating consumer protection laws.

“The statements in One Medical’s privacy policies, combined with the recent public statements by both companies about privacy, constitute promises to consumers about the collection and use of their data by the post-acquisition entity,” the FTC wrote, warning the companies against violating the law and conveying a false impression of information privacy.

The statement continued: “Companies that fail to have adequate safeguards or controls in place to protect sensitive data or fail to obtain consumers’ express affirmative consent for marketing based on sensitive data such as health data may be in violation of the law.”

Amazon and One Medical said this week that that they don’t sell protected health information and that they “ use this information to provide care, make getting care easier, and to ensure patient safety.”

Where can you go in-person?

While telehealth services are available nationally, in-person visits can only be done in select locations.

In Texas, offices are available in Austin, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth.

Here’s the full list:

• Atlanta, Georgia

• Austin, Texas

• Boston, Massachusetts

• Cape Cod, Massachusetts

• Charlotte, North Carolina

• Chicago, Illinois

• Columbus, Ohio

• Connecticut

• Washington D.C. metro area

• Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

• Denver, Colorado

• Houston, Texas

• Los Angeles, California

• Miami, Florida

• Milwaukee (soon), Wisconsin

• New York

• Orange County, California

• Phoenix, Arizona

• Portland, Oregon

• Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

• San Diego, California

• Seattle-Tacoma, Washington

• San Francisco Bay Area, California

• Triad, North Carolina

• Tucson, Arizona

What is The Sum?

The Sum is your friendly guide to personal finance and economic news.

We’re a team of McClatchy journalists cutting through the financial jargon so you know how these issues impact your life. We verify information from diverse sources and keep the facts front-and-center, making finance and economic news add up for you.

Ready to take the first step to getting your finances under control? You can sign up for our five-week budgeting newsletter at thesum.news.