Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Fast Access To Health Care': Amazon Orders Up Virtual Health Clinic For Seattle Employees, Offering Quick Telemedicine, Speedy Prescriptions
CNBC: Amazon Launches Employee Health Clinic Amazon Care
Amazon has launched a virtual health clinic with in-home follow-ups for employees in Seattle, dubbed Amazon Care. The company announced the program on a web site, Amazon.care, that is currently publicly accessible but did not formally announce the news outside the company. “Amazon Care is a benefit being piloted for Amazon employees and their families in the Seattle area,” the website reads. (Farr, 9/24)
Modern Healthcare: Amazon Pilots Virtual Health Clinic For Employees
Amazon has launched a virtual health clinic, dubbed Amazon Care, for employees and their families living in Seattle. The pilot program, which offers a combination of telemedicine and home visits, marks the most recent step the Seattle-based tech giant has taken into the healthcare sector. Amazon Care is marketed as a benefit being piloted for company employees enrolled in an Amazon health insurance plan, according to a company website. Employees will be able to reach physicians or nurses for urgent care, preventive health consults and sexual health services, such as testing for sexually transmitted infections. (Cohen, 9/24)
Dallas Morning News: Walmart Adds Health Care Degrees To Its $1-A-Day Education Benefits
Walmart said Tuesday that it has added seven bachelor's degrees and two career diplomas in health care fields to its education benefits. Last year, Walmart created a program that would allow its employees to earn a college degree without taking on student debt. (Halkias, 9/24)
Bloomberg: Best Buy CEO Eyes Health Care As Retailer’s ‘Next Big Thing’
Best Buy Co. is well-known for bringing computers and other gadgets back to life. Now, it wants to take care of its shoppers’ health as well. The retailer’s strategy to beef up its fledgling health-care business will be a key focus of its investor meeting Wednesday in New York. The plan includes selling everything from fancy fitness machines to health-monitoring services for seniors. It could help Best Buy grab some of the $3.5 trillion market for health spending in the U.S. -- while offsetting sluggishness in its main business of selling laptops, TVs and phones. (Boyle, 9/24)
