Amazon is one of the top companies to work for globally. If you are thinking of applying for a role or you have been accepted as an employee of the company, the good news is that you could be eligible to receive several benefits including health care and savings programs.
While you can find a detailed list of benefits provided for Amazon employees in the Amazon website, this blog will list down an easy-to-understand overview of what these are. We will also answer some frequently asked questions regarding Amazon health insurance and benefits.
What Is Included in Amazon Health Insurance and Benefits?
The following benefits are available to you if you are an Amazon employee under:
- Class H (20 to 29 hrs/wk)
- Class R (30 to 39 hrs/wk)
- Class F (40 hrs/wk)
1. Medical Insurance
As an Amazon employee, you are entitled to choose from different medical insurance plans. The offered plans differ depending on your location but all medical insurance plans cover the following:
- Prescription drugs
- Hospital care
- Emergency care
- X-ray
- Lab work
- Mental health
- No pre-existing condition exclusions
- 100% preventive care on all plans
- Choice of multiple plans depending on your location
Employees who work in all states except Connecticut, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Utah, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Wisconsin can choose from:
- Shared Deductible Plan (Aetna or Premera Blue Cross)
- Health Savings Plan (Aetna or Premera Blue Cross)
- Standard Plan (Aetna or Premera Blue Cross)
- In-Network Only Plan (Premera Blue Cross Only)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO (CA, CO, HI, MD, VA, WA, Washington DC)
While employees who work in Connecticut, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Utah, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Wisconsin can choose from:
- Shared Deductible Copay Plan (Aetna or Premera Blue Cross)
- Health Savings Plan (Aetna or Premera Blue Cross)
- Standard Copay Plan (Aetna or Premera Blue Cross)
- In-Network Only Copay Plan (Premera Blue Cross Only)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO (Maryland only)
The plans differ based on the following factors:
- Network options
- Deductible
- Coinsurance
- Copays
- Maximum out-of-pocket expense
- Prescription drug coverage
You can find details of each plan on Amazon's Benefits Overview page. If you are wondering which one of these insurance options is the best Amazon health insurance plan, there is no single answer. The best plan for you will depend on your preferred insurance structure and network.
2. Dental Insurance
As an employee of Amazon, you are entitled to a dental insurance plan through Delta Dental of Washington. There are two available plans: Basic Dental Plan and Enhanced Dental Plan. There is a deductible of $50/individual and $150/family for both plans.
Basic Dental Plan covers the following:
- Cleaning covered at 100%, deductible waived
- X-rays covered at 100%, deductible waived
- Fillings and extractions covered at 90%
Enhanced Dental Plan covers the following:
- Cleaning covered at 100%, deductible waived
- X-rays covered at 100%, deductible waived
- Fillings and extractions covered at 90%
- Dentures and crowns covered at 50%
- Orthodontia covered at 50%, deductible waived, with $2,000 lifetime maximum
3. Vision Insurance
Like the dental plan, the vision insurance plans through Vision Service Plan are available as a Basic or Enhanced Plan. The Basic Vision Plan comes with the following:
- One eye exam per year at an in-network provider covered at 100%
- Lenses covered at 100% in-network
- 1 pair of frames or contacts (in lieu of glasses) per year, up to $130 allowance in-network
- Materials copayment of $10
- One contact lens fitting and evaluation exam per year covered at 100% after a maximum of $60 copayment in-network
The Enhanced Vision Plan comes with all the benefits in the Basic Vision Plan but instead of 1 pair of frames or contacts, the beneficiary is entitled to 2 pairs of frames or contacts (in lieu of glasses) per year, up to $130 allowance in-network.
4. Free Mental Health Care Sessions
Three (3) counseling sessions for free (in-person or virtual) for Amazon employees or household members. These are available 24/7.
5. Infertility Benefits
Being enrolled in one of the medical plans also provides you access to infertility treatment specialists at Progyny, which is a leading infertility benefits provider. You can receive personalized support from Progyny's patient care advocate through this program.
6. Disability insurance
Available to those who work 30 hours or more per week, Amazon offers short-term and long-term disability coverage at no cost to its employees. If you become medically disabled, both plans give a partial salary at 60% of qualifying income up to specific amounts as a substitute for full pay.
7. Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
You get two times your annual base salary for Basic Life and AD&D Insurance at no cost to you. You can also buy supplemental coverage for yourself, your spouse, and your children at different rates.
8. Pregnancy and Parental Leave
Full-time and reduced time employees are eligible to receive PAID pregnancy and parental leave. For pregnancy leaves, you can get up to 4 weeks of paid pre-partum leave and 10 weeks of paid post-partum leave.
For parental leave, you can get 6 weeks of paid leave following the birth or adoption of a child. There are also leave share and ramp back programs to help parents during this period.
9. Adoption Assistance
You can reimburse up to $5,000 for single child adoption or $10,000 for sibling group adoption per calendar year. The child must be under 18 years old for reimbursement.
10. Time and a Half Holiday Pay
You are eligible to receive time and a half if you work on any of the Amazon holidays including:
- New Year's Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
11. Paid Time Off
You are entitled to paid time off. Your paid vacation days can be accumulated over time depending on the years you have worked, the number of hours you work per week, and your job level. Check out this Paid Time Off page for further details.
12. Amazon 401(k) Plan
Employees of Amazon who are 18 or older may join the program immediately after being hired at the company. Amazon will match $0.50 of each $1 of employee contribution you make (up to 4% of your eligible pay).
13. Employee Restricted Stock Units (RSU)
If you work 30+ hours per week and based on your job level, you may be eligible to become an owner of the company through the granting and vesting of RSUs. You may also have the opportunity for additional RSU grants.
14. Flexible Spending Accounts
FSAs (Flexible Spending Accounts) are a convenient way to pay for specific qualifying health care and/or dependent care costs using pre-tax money. You lower your taxable income if you make a contribution to an FSA. Your federal income and social security taxes will also be reduced as a result of this.
15. Discounted Rates for Critical Illness & Personal Accident Insurance
For instances not covered by your health and disability plan, you can get a discounted rate on Critical Illness and Personal Accident Insurance through MetLife. This can help cover expenses like deductibles, coinsurance, transportation, and lodging.
16. Discounted Rates for Homeowners, Renters, Auto, and Pet Insurance
You can enjoy discounted rates if you need to get homeowners, renters, car, or pet insurance plans.
17. Discounted Rates for Legal Services
You can receive discounted rates for a variety of legal services such as real estate matters, family law, wills, estate planning, etc.
18. Child, Elder, and Pet Care Referral Services
Free membership to Sittercity and Years Ahead, which are platforms to help you locate qualified child care, senior care, or pet care professionals. You can access the sites for free, but you will need to pay for the actual service.
19. Additional Discount Programs
You get a 10% discount on Amazon merchandise on purchases up to $1,000. Total annual discount benefit is capped at $100.
Are All Amazon Health Insurance And Benefits The Same?
No, the benefits including health insurance plan options will vary depending on the location of employment, your length of employment, job status, and the number of regularly scheduled hours you work.
How Many Hours Do You Have To Work At Amazon To Get Health Insurance?
You can be eligible for health insurance if you work 20 hours or more in a week. The insurance benefits listed above are for Amazon employees working under Class H, R, and F. If you are not under these categories, contact your recruitment officer to get more information.
Maximizing Your Benefits As An Amazon Employee
Knowing the full scope of your benefits as an Amazon employee is important to ensure that you are maximizing each incentive. Hopefully, this guide helped you understand some of the benefits that you can enjoy as a future or current Amazon employee.
Aidan has been writing about personal finance for over 6 years. Prior to this, he worked as a Corporate Finance Analyst where he specialized in Due Diligence, Company Valuations and more. He is a CFA charterholder.
