Peter Kongstvedt on the Amazon Healthmarket, Coming Soon to an Alexa Near You

By Clive Riddle, March 2, 2018

Lendedu released survey results this week on consumer acceptance if Amazon ventured into several financial related markets including virtual currency, banking, lending, investment and insurance. Their survey involved polling 1,000 consumers who purchased something from Amazon within that past 30 days.

In the insurance arena, consumers were asked about Life, auto and health insurance: “If offered, would you be open to the idea of using the listed insurance product created by Amazon?” For health insurance, 35.8% said yes, 31.3% said no and 32.9% were unsure. 41.6% of the consumers who were Amazon Prime users said yes. Acceptance for auto insurance was nine percentage points higher and life insurance was two percentage points higher.

Just over a month ago, most everyone in the healthcare universe got excited or at least paid notice when AmazonBershireJPMorgan healthcare was announced. Of course some such as Sam Baker cautioned in Axios that “We don't know what they're even trying to do” and that “other big companies have tried something similar.”

A month later AmazonBershireJPMorgan healthcareis still a blank canvas that we’re allowed to paint our own perceptions into. Healthcare media reported on the Lendedu survey results with headlines such as 35.8% of Americans would use an Amazon health insurance plan.

The national treasure of healthcare wit and expertise that is Peter Kongstvedt, MD FACP had this to say in response (including footnotes) to these headlines:

“Who wouldn’t be eager to sign up for an undescribed health plan, for which we can imagine it to be low-cost, super-convenient, available through Alexa, delivered in your home by the same day, and come with unlimited music and video streaming?* Few if any barriers to achieving this. Merely need to tell hospitals, physicians, and drug manufacturers what they will accept as payment in full and their obligation to meet Just-in-Time delivery, and they will all fall all over themselves to be in the Amazon HealthMarket.® ”

* PrimeHealth® 12-month subscription required, renewable at PrimeHealth’s sole discretion. Treatment options and bandwidth limitations may apply. Offer only available in U.S. states and territories. Acceptance denotes consent with all EULA Terms and Conditions including your Blood oath to forever abandon WalMart® and Apple® iTunes®.