General medical care

Frequently asked questions

What types of acute symptoms can't be treated through Amazon Clinic?

Your clinician can't treat any symptoms that could indicate a medical emergency, including the following:

• Difficulty breathing/respiratory distress (wheezing, shortness of breath)

• Chest pain or other symptoms of heart attack or heart disease

• Dizziness or faintness

• Thoughts of hurting yourself or others

• Active psychosis (hallucinations or delusions)

• Severe abdominal pain

• Severe headache (worst headache of your life)

• Heart palpitations (fast or irregular heartbeats)

• Difficulty speaking or slurred speech

• Facial droop or numbness

• Difficulty moving or feeling arms or legs

• Allergic skin reactions (hives) accompanied by trouble breathing, swollen lips, or a swollen tongue

• Extensive bleeding

If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, don't use Amazon Clinic. You may need immediate medical attention. Please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible. Please find the help you need.

What types of medical situations can't be addressed through Amazon Clinic?

At this time, you'll need to seek care from an in-person healthcare provider for the following types of medical situations:

• Pregnancy-related concerns

• Complications from a recent surgery, hospitalization, or accident

• Eye symptoms like vision changes; or pain, tenderness or swelling around the eye

• Abnormal GI bleeding (blood in stool)

• Ear pain or possible ear infection

• Vertigo or dizziness

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in males

• Open wounds from animal bites, puncture injuries, pressure injuries, or surgeries

• Diagnosis of sexually transmitted infection (STIs)

• Mania, psychosis, or any mental health crisis

• Substance use detox

• Narcolepsy or insomnia related to sleep apnea

• Prescriptions for durable medical equipment (DME)

• Forms including sports physicals, preoperative exams, FMLA paperwork, mental health forms, or medical notes for jury duty

What types of medications can't be prescribed through Amazon Clinic?

• Weight loss medications like tirzepatide (Zepbound), semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), or phentermine

• New prescriptions for mental health medications or prescription renewals for mental health conditions other than anxiety and/or depression (e.g. bipolar disorder, schizophrenia)

• Controlled substances like Ambien

• ADHD medications like Adderall

• Nerve pain medications like gabapentin

• HIV (PrEP) medications

• Anti-anxiety medications (benzodiazepines) like Xanax

• Opioid antagonists like naltrexone

What's the difference between a renewal and a refill?

When you run out of your medication, you refill it through a pharmacy. When you run out of refills, a licensed clinician has to renew your prescription.

You can request a remote prescription renewal through Amazon Clinic. Your clinician may ask for a photo or a pharmacy phone number to to verify a prior prescription. They'll send any new prescriptions to a U.S. pharmacy of your choice. You pay for the medication when you pick it up or have it delivered.

What's the prescription renewal policy at Amazon Clinic?

Depending on the online clinic, a prescription renewal may be for a 30- or 90-day supply of medication. A prescription may also include one or more refills.

Clinicians consider many factors when determining if a prescription is medically appropriate. For example, they may want to know how long it's been since you've:

• Taken your medication

• Seen your primary care physician (PCP)

• Had appropriate lab testing

• Had your last prescription renewal through Amazon Clinic*

There may be a limit to the number of renewal requests a clinician can evaluate per video visit. Clinicians will not renew prescriptions that require a prior authorization from your insurance company.

*Prescription renewals may be limited to one or two within a 12-month period.

Can I get mental health treatment through a General medical care visit?

No. You can't see a mental health provider for behavioral therapy, psychiatry, counseling, coaching, clinical social work, or other mental health specialties through Amazon Clinic at this time.

If you've taken a medication for depression or anxiety within the past 4 days, you can request a prescription renewal, but your clinician won't adjust or initiate medication. Your clinician won't renew prescriptions for benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, or stimulant medications for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please see a doctor immediately or call 911. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 988. We hope you get the help you need.

What depression and anxiety medications can be renewed through Amazon Clinic?

When medically appropriate, your clinician may renew prescriptions for the following depression and anxiety medications:

• Buproprion (Wellbutrin)
• Buspirone (Buspar)
• Citalopram (Celexa)
• Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)
• Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
• Escitalopram (Lexapro)
• Fluoxetine (Prozac)
• Hydroxyzine (Vistaril)
• Levomilnacipran (Fetzima)
• Mirtazapine (Remeron)
• Paroxetine (Paxil)
• Propranolol (Inderal)
• Sertraline (Zoloft)
• Venlafaxine (Effexor XR)
• Vilazodone (Viibryd)
• Vortioxetine (Trintellix)

Can I get a doctor's note through Amazon Clinic?

Doctors' notes are available at your clinician’s discretion if you choose Wheel as your provider. Other online clinics don’t offer doctors' notes at this time.

What happens if my clinician can't diagnose or treat my health issue?

If your clinician can’t diagnose or treat your health issue through Amazon Clinic, they may recommend that you see a primary care physician (PCP) or a specialist for in-person care. If that happens, you won't be charged for your visit.

Can I use my health insurance to pay for a visit and/or medication?

Amazon Clinic doesn't accept health insurance for visits at this time. You can submit a claim to your insurance provider for reimbursement, but we can’t guarantee they’ll reimburse you.

If you normally use insurance to pay for your medications, you can do that with medications prescribed through Amazon Clinic. Amazon Pharmacy accepts most insurance plans. For other pharmacies, please talk with your pharmacy directly about insurance coverage. The cost of medication isn’t included in the cost of your visit.

How does Amazon Clinic protect my health information?

Amazon Clinic protects your health information by strictly following the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA governs what Amazon Clinic and your healthcare providers can do with your medical information, as well as your contact and payment information. Amazon Clinic doesn’t and will never sell your personal information. Learn more on our privacy page.

See all Amazon Clinic FAQ

General medical care

Most popular treatments

Is this visit right for me?

Important treatment exclusions*

Clinicians won't prescribe

Commonly treated health issues

How it works

Multiple online clinics to choose from

Looking for something else?

Cough, cold, flu, and strep throat

Rash and skin infections

Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Frequently asked questions