Amazon Introduces Pay-Per-Visit Virtual Care for Kids Aged 2 to 11
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| Photo Credit: Amazon |
The child-focused pay-per-visit product provides message-based sessions starting at $29 and video visits beginning at $49.
It is pitched as a supplement to a child’s primary care, not a substitute.
“This service isn’t meant to replace a family’s relationship with their child’s pediatrician, but rather to serve as a convenient option for those ‘in-between’ moments for parents with time-sensitive concerns who don’t already have on-demand access through a One Medical membership,” said Natasha Bhuyan, MD, national medical director for One Medical.
The offering targets conditions often managed via urgent care or walk-in clinics: pink eye (conjunctivitis), head lice, over ten skin-related conditions including eczema and fungal rashes, bug bites, diaper rash, and hand-foot-and-mouth disease. It also covers renewals for EpiPen prescriptions and asthma medications.
Parents or guardians begin by completing a brief intake form detailing the child’s medical history and symptoms.
A board-certified family practice physician or licensed nurse practitioner then issues a treatment plan, and, if appropriate, prescriptions that can be filled via Amazon Pharmacy or a pharmacy of the user’s choice.
Amazon’s move comes at a time when retail health arms of major pharmacy chains are retrenching. For example, stores operated by Rite Aid have shuttered, and Walgreens announced the closure of some 500 locations in the past year.
This launch builds on Amazon’s broader health-care strategy: acquisition of One Medical in early 2023 for approximately $3.9 billion; acquisition of online pharmacy PillPack in 2018; launch of Amazon Pharmacy in 2020.
Industry watchers point out that pediatric telehealth is an area of opportunity given gaps in convenient access for busy families. As the health-tech publication Fierce Healthcare put it, the service offers “quick virtual consultations and expert medical advice for select children’s care needs.”
By targeting low-acuity conditions in children, Amazon places itself squarely in the “in-between” zone, not emergent care, but urgent enough for many families to act.
The flat-fee model simplifies pricing for consumers and bypasses insurance barriers.
According to Amazon’s FAQ, the service does not accept insurance for the visits, though prescriptions may be covered when filled through Amazon Pharmacy.
For Amazon, the initiative acts as another touchpoint in its health ecosystem: virtual care, pharmacy fulfillment, and physical clinic locations (via One Medical). It helps extend brand reach into family health and children’s care sectors typically dominated by pediatric practices and urgent-care chains.
We analyzed and noted that even as some retail health players pull back, Amazon’s deeper integration of care, pharmacy, and tech infrastructure may allow it to scale more effectively.
While the service expands convenience, several constraints remain. Coverage is limited to ages 2-11 and select conditions; more complex pediatric issues will still require in-person care.
Amazon’s FAQ stipulates that if a condition cannot be treated virtually, the provider may refer the child to a specialist or primary care provider; the visit charge would be waived in that case.
Geographic availability and state-by-state licensing may also limit access for some parents. The service requires a parent or guardian to be present during consultation.
It remains unclear how large the pool of conditions will expand over time or how Amazon will integrate with pediatricians’ workflows and insurers.
The initiative’s success will hinge on adoption by busy families, integration with existing pediatric networks, and the company’s ability to maintain quality while scaling virtually.
