Amazon’s new health service helps patients identify unused benefits

Amazon is making further inroads into health care with the release of its new Health Conditions Programs, a partnership with Omada Health that aims to help customers identify overlooked health benefits offered by their insurance plans, the company announced Monday. 

The online retail giant noted a Bureau of Labor Statistics report that shows roughly 25% of U.S. adults are unaware of all the benefits they are entitled to under their health care plans, and they leave nearly 30% of their benefits unused every year. 

“Many people aren’t aware of the health care benefits they’re eligible for, that are typically no cost or subsidized by their employer or insurance plan,” said Aaron Martin, vice president of healthcare at Amazon, in a statement. “When customers are shopping for health-related products on Amazon, we can surface these additional healthcare benefits to them to provide even more support in improving their health, at no additional cost.”

Amazon noted in the press release that it has partnered with Omada Health, which includes more than 20 million members, to help patients discover and enroll in programs for diabetes, hypertension, and more. 

“This new enrollment pathway will help reach the one out of every 10 commercially insured people in the U.S. who have access to enroll in Omada but may not be aware,” Amazon said in the press release. “More than 38 million Americans live with diabetes and 98 million U.S. adults—1 in 3—have prediabetes.”

Amazon said that from 2019 to 2022, Omada’s program to help identify unused health care benefits resulted in a 2% reduction in A1C (a blood-sugar test used to diagnose diabetes) for members with A1C over 8%. Seventy-six percent of members achieved Omada Health’s A1C reduction goals over the same time period, Amazon said. 

“Mobilizing the business, tech, and health industries to collaborate across sectors is how we ultimately scale impact, improve health outcomes, and drive health equity throughout the world,” Deborah Dugan, CEO of the nonprofit Beyond Type 1, in a statement. 

Amazon has made a number of moves into health care over the past couple of years, including the January 2023 launch of its RxPass program that allows customers to receive common prescription drugs at a low cost for a $5 monthly fee.