Amazon completes One Medical acquisition deal

Amazon has officially acquired primary One Medical after closing its $3.9 billion deal. It was in July 2022 when the e-commerce and tech firm agreed to buy the primary healthcare provider to further expand its presence in the healthcare industry while also improving the medical care experience of clients.

It was noted that for a long time, Amazon had a goal of getting into the healthcare business and has taken its first step when it bought the online pharmacy PillPack in 2018 for $750 million. This was followed by the introduction of its own virtual clinic dealing with chronic conditions, where it also started to offer various prescription benefits for Prime members.

At any rate, CNBC reported that this recent acquisition gives Amazon access to One Medical’s brick-and-mortar stores and medical offices, which are said to number about 200 in 26 markets. To date, it has more or less 815,000 members.

This is Amazon’s chief executive officer, Andy Jassy’s first major purchase after taking over the company from Jeff Bezos in 2021. The CEO believes that their healthcare business is one major area that should be expanded in this era.

“Together (with One Medical), we believe we can make the health care experience easier, faster, more personal, and more convenient for everyone,” the Amazon chief said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Amazon also announced that with One Medical in its portfolio, it will now make it easier for people to get healthy and stay healthier. For starters, it will offer discounts for One Medical membership in the United States. The fee for the first year will now be just $144 from the previous $199, and people can avail of this even if they are not Prime subscribers.

“We are on a mission to make it dramatically easier for people to find, choose, afford, and engage with the services, products, and professionals they need to get and stay healthy, and coming together with One Medical is a big step on that journey,” Amazon Health Services senior vice president, Neil Lindsay, said in a press release.

He added, “One Medical has set the bar for what a quality, convenient, and affordable primary care experience should be like. We’re inspired by their human-centered, technology-forward approach and excited to help them continue to grow and serve more patients.”