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Amazon’s $3.9 billion proposed deal to acquire One Medical surmounted one obstacle when Oregon regulators approved the deal last week.
The Oregon Health Authority cleared the Amazon-One Medical transaction Dec. 28. The regulator concluded the acquisition would be unlikely to affect access and cost for Oregonians and ruled out a more comprehensive review because One Medical operates only five primary care clinics and treats few patients in the Beaver State.
Last July, Amazon announced its intent to acquire One Medical, a membership-based primary care practice that offers virtual and in-person services to commercially insured patients. The companies are awaiting approval from the Federal Trade Commission, which is reviewing the all-cash deal.
If the acquisition goes through, the Oregon Health Authority would conduct a follow-up analysis within five years to determine if the deal influenced quality, access, affordability and equity, according to the agency. In the meantime, Amazon and One Medical would have to provide the state with reports every six months detailing the services they offer, the patient populations they serve and what, if any, changes they make in corporate governance.
Despite approving the deal and emphasizing One Medical’s limited presence in the state, the Oregon Health Agency expressed concern that the provider could siphon off patients with commercial insurance, which tends to pay higher rates than Medicare and Medicaid, from other providers, which could be financially disadvantages to those competitors.
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