Amazon has closed its multibillion-dollar deal to buy One Medical to further its ambitions to offer medical services and expand its growing healthcare business to employers.
The tech giant officially announced the closing of the deal last Wednesday morning. The news comes as The Wall Street Journal reported that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) won’t sue in time to block the $3.9 billion deal, including debt.
The deal expands Amazon’s reach into primary care as it now officially operates 188 clinics in 29 markets. The deal also gives Amazon rapid access to the lucrative employer market as One Medical works with 8,000 companies and has a trove of member health data.
One Medical, which is not yet profitable, launched in 2007 and markets itself as membership-based, tech-integrated, consumer-focused primary care platform.
At the end of 2022, One Medical had 836,000 members with the bulk of those, 796,000 among consumer and enterprise members and 40,000 at-risk members. The company reported 2022 revenue of $1.046 billion, up 68% from 2021 and fourth-quarter revenue came in at $274.2 million, up 19%, according to its 2022 earnings report.
Amazon predicts that ‘If you fast forward 10 years from now, people are not going to believe how primary care was administered. For decades, you called your doctor, made an appointment three or four weeks out, drove 15-20 minutes to the doctor, parked your car, signed in and waited several minutes in reception, eventually were placed in an exam room, where you waited another 10-15 minutes before the doctor came in, saw you for five to ten minutes and prescribed medicine, and then you drove 20 minutes to the pharmacy to pick it up – and that’s if you didn’t have to then go see a specialist for additional evaluation, where the process repeated and could take even longer for an appointment,” said Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. “Customers want and deserve better, and that’s what One Medical has been working and innovating on for more than a decade. Together, we believe we can make the health care experience easier, faster, more personal, and more convenient for everyone.”
Amazon says One Medical sets a high bar for human-centered primary care experiences: Access to primary care where, when, and how people prefer, with:
– – Around-the-clock access through the One Medical app, giving people more control of how they seek care and the ability to do so from home or on-the-go
– – On-demand virtual care services, like 24/7 video chats and easy in-app messaging, which are included in membership at no extra cost; for other services, such as in-office appointments, One Medical accepts most major insurance health plans
– – Same and next-day in-office or remote visits, so people can quickly get the care they need
– – Thoughtfully designed and welcoming One Medical offices, offering care close to where people work, live, and shop
– – Walk-in availability for on-site laboratory services, making it easy to get lab work done where and when it’s most convenient
A comprehensive approach to make health care easier to navigate by offering:
– – A health care home base with primary care providers that help manage a person’s full health picture; from preventive and acute care needs, to chronic disease and mental health concerns
– – Pediatricians and family care providers available in a growing number of locations, serving children and families
– – Providers trained to address both physical and mental health needs, which may include lifestyle recommendations, medications, or referrals to appropriate specialists
– – Clinical and digital integrations with leading hospital networks across the U.S. for more seamless access and coordinated care across primary and specialty care services
– – Easy access to vaccine and medical records, prescription renewals, specialty referrals, and lab results in the One Medical app
– – Outstanding care for seniors in a growing number of locations, with teams specialized in serving people on Medicare
A more human health care experience enabled by:
– – Highly engaged clinicians focused on meeting the whole needs of people, thinking about health care comprehensively, and taking time to treat people as people and not solely as diagnoses
– – More time in appointments to engage with providers for more personalized and comprehensive health care
– – Proactive app reminders for follow-up care and referral needs, facilitating better prevention and coordination of care so the dots are better connected for people to get and stay healthier
– – A human-centered and technology-powered approach, offering an easy-to-use app and innovative clinician tools to simplify the experience for both the patient and the provider
FTC spokesman Douglas Farrar told the WSJ that the commission “will continue to look at possible harms to competition created by this merger as well as possible harms to consumers that may result from Amazon’s control and use of sensitive consumer health information held by One Medical.”