Your account has an Amazon One Medical Membership

On-demand care for this condition is included with membership

With your membership you can:

Get 24/7 on-demand care via Video Chat or Treat Me Now
Convenient prescription refill and renewal requests
View a summary and action items after your visit, and directly message your care team
Young woman uses asthma inhaler for asthma symptoms

Request a same-day asthma prescription renewal

Out of refills of asthma medication? Visit with a telehealth provider about renewing prescriptions for asthma treatments like albuterol inhalers
For adults 18-64 & children 2-11

How it works

Start a visit
Get a virtual visit at your convenience 24/7—no appointment needed.
Meet with a trusted provider
A licensed provider will assess your concerns and recommend treatment.
Get treatment
Treatment for common conditions. If needed, prescriptions are sent to your pharmacy or delivered to your door with Amazon Pharmacy if eligible.
Stay connected
Receive personalized care plan, and get continued support from providers.
Smiling One Medical provider delivers telehealth care
Woman with asthma symptoms walks on a sidewalk in a residential neighborhood

What is asthma?

Asthma is a very common, chronic health condition that affects breathing. People with asthma have airways (the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs) that can be sensitive to certain triggers, leading to airway swelling and narrowing. This makes it difficult for air to pass through.

What are asthma symptoms and how do you control them?

Asthma symptoms include:
• Wheezing
• Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing
Asthma symptoms can happen every day, a few times a week, or just once in a while, and can range from mild to severe. By avoiding asthma triggers and taking medication when needed, you can get your asthma under control so that symptoms don’t disrupt your daily activities.

Can I request a prescription renewal for my child through Pay-per-visit?

Yes, Pay-per-visit can renew asthma prescriptions for children.
Your child must be between the ages of 2 and 11 years old
You are a parent or legal guardian who can manage care for the child
Red-headed child with asthma symptoms embraces her mother

Is Pay-per-visit right for me?

You’re 18-64
Your child is 2-11

Requirements for prescription renewal

Prior asthma diagnosis
Current asthma medication working well (doesn't need to be stepped up or down)
Controlled asthma symptoms
Image of your or your child's prescription label

Common types of asthma medication

Your Amazon One Medical provider will determine which (if any) prescription renewal of your or your child's asthma treatment is medically appropriate based on symptoms and health history. If a prescription is renewed, pick up the medication at a pharmacy of your choice. Choose Amazon Pharmacy for free delivery and transparent Prime pricing. The cost of any prescribed medication may be covered by health insurance.
Asthma inhaler icon
Short-acting beta agonists (SABAs)
• Albuterol (Ventolin, Proventil)
• Levalbuterol (Xopenex)
Asthma inhaler icon
ICS-LABA combination inhalers
• Budesonide-formoterol (Symbicort)
• Fluticasone-salmeterol (Airduo, Advair)
• Mometasone-formoterol (Dulera)
Asthma inhaler icon
Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs)
• Budesonide (Pulmicort)
• Fluticasone (Flovent)
• Mometasone (Asmanex)
Asthma inhaler icon
Anticholinergic agents
• Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) like tiotropium bromide (Spiriva)
• Short-acting muscarinic antagonists (SAMAs) like ipratropium bromide (Atrovent)
Asthma inhaler icon
Long-acting beta agonists (LABAs)
• Formoterol (Foradil, Oxeze Turbuhaler)
• Salmeterol (Serevent)
Pill bottle icon
Leukotriene inhibitors
• Montelukast (Singulair)

Frequently asked questions

About Amazon One Medical

What are your telehealth options for asthma treatment?
Amazon One Medical offers multiple ways to get care from the comfort of your own home.
If you're a One Medical member and you live in a state where One Medical has offices, you can schedule Remote Visits with One Medical providers, which are billable to you or your health insurance. As a member, you can also get 24/7 on-demand virtual care via the One Medical app at no extra cost, no matter where you live in the United States.
If you're not a One Medical member, you can start a one-time virtual visit with Pay-per-visit. Pay-per-visit offers 2 types of telehealth for Amazon customers: video visits and message-only visits. Video visits are available from $49 in all 50 states and D.C. Message-only visits are available from $29 in 36+ states.*
To see your Pay-per-visit options for this condition, start a one-time virtual visit and choose your state.
*State availability varies by condition. Prices subject to change.
Where are scheduled visits available? Is there a One Medical office near me?
In-Office Visits are scheduled appointments with the provider of your choice. Remote Visits are scheduled, virtual appointments with the provider of your choice and are available in U.S. states where One Medical offices are located.
One Medical currently has primary care doctors' offices in or around the following locations:
In-Office and Remote Visits are not included in membership and are billed to you/your insurance; copays and deductibles may apply.
Find out more about One Medical locations, including One Medical Seniors offices, on the location page.
Can I use my health insurance for Amazon One Medical Pay-per-visit?
Amazon One Medical doesn't accept health insurance for Pay-per-visit care. You can submit a claim to your insurance provider for reimbursement, but we can’t guarantee they’ll reimburse you for your one-time virtual visit.
If you normally use insurance to pay for your medications, you can do that with medications prescribed through all Amazon One Medical services. 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.
What will I need to request an asthma prescription renewal through Amazon One Medical Pay-per-visit?
To request a virtual prescription renewal through Amazon One Medical Pay-per-visit, you'll need to upload an image of your most recent prescription for asthma medication. Your provider will accept a photo of the prescription label or a screenshot from your medical records.
What's the virtual prescription renewal policy at Amazon One Medical Pay-per-visit?
Pay-per-visit providers typically write online prescription renewals for a 30-day supply of medication.
Your provider will 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 regular primary care provider
• Had appropriate lab testing
• Had your last prescription renewal through Pay-per-visit*
When you request a prescription renewal, you'll need to provide an image of your last prescription. Your provider will accept a photo of the prescription label or a screenshot from your medical records. The image must clearly show your name, the name of the medication, the dose, the directions, and the date the prescription was written.
There may be a limit to the number of renewal requests that a provider can evaluate in a one-time virtual visit. Providers will not renew prescriptions that require a prior authorization from your insurance company.
*Virtual prescription renewals may be limited to one or two within a 12-month period.
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 healthcare provider has to renew your prescription.
You can request a remote prescription renewal through Amazon One Medical. Your provider will 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 happens if my provider can't diagnose or treat my health issue through Amazon One Medical Pay-per-visit?
If your provider can’t diagnose or treat your health issue through Pay-per-visit, they may recommend that you see a primary care provider or a specialist for in-person care. If that happens, you won't be charged.
Can I communicate with a provider after I get my Pay-per-visit treatment plan?
Yes. When you use Pay-per-visit, you can message with One Medical providers within your personal dashboard for an additional 2 weeks (14 days) at no extra cost. This complimentary communication window allows you time to:
Ask follow-up questions about any prescriptions or over-the-counter medications in your treatment plan
• Connect with a provider if you think your treatment needs to be adjusted
• Tell a provider if you're experiencing side effects from your medication
• Tell a provider if there's an issue getting your prescription from the pharmacy
• Let the One Medical care team know that you're feeling better
Your secure, HIPAA-compliant message will be received by the first available provider, who will be able to review your visit’s treatment plan and any follow-up correspondence. If you still need treatment adjustments or have questions after the 14-day communication window, you'll need to start a new visit.
How does Amazon One Medical protect my health information?
Amazon One Medical protects customers’ protected health information (PHI) with stringent, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant privacy and security practices to keep information safe and secure.
We’re committed to building an infrastructure that fosters and promotes a culture of customer privacy and a strong commitment to safeguarding health information. We maintain administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect customer information. This includes conducting rigorous security reviews and testing during product development, using encryption to protect data, and providing features like two-step verification to help customers protect their accounts.
Amazon does not sell customers’ personal information, including PHI.

About care for children

What kind of telehealth visits can my child have through Pay-per-visit?
At this time, parents and legal guardians can start telemedicine visits through Amazon One Medical Pay-per-visit for their children aged 2 through 11 years old for the following health conditions:
Do I have to be the parent or guardian of the child seeking care?
Yes. A parent or legal guardian must initiate the child's care and be present during the visit.
What type of healthcare provider will treat my child through Pay-per-visit?
Children are treated by family practice physicians or licensed family nurse practitioners (FNPs). You'll be able to see the credentials of your child's provider during the visit.
Can I get a doctor's note for my child?
Yes. After your child completes their virtual visit, their provider can write excused absence notes, back-to-school notes, and no-play notes for sports or other activities if medically appropriate.
What are the symptoms of an asthma attack in children?
Symptoms of an asthma attack in children can include the following:
• Shortness of breath (difficulty breathing)
• Wheezing (whistling when breathing)
• Coughing spells
• Rapid breathing
• Fatigue or low energy when playing
• Chest pain
• Skin discoloration (potential sign of respiratory distress or a closing airway)
• Fever
If your child is experiencing the symptoms of an asthma attack or has worsening asthma symptoms despite taking 3 doses of their rescue inhaler, seek in-person medical attention immediately.
How is childhood asthma diagnosed?
Research shows that up to 80% of children with asthma will experience symptoms before they turn 5. These symptoms can include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. They may be worse during certain times of day (like in the evening or early morning), and they may be triggered in specific situations, like during exercise or when exposed to allergens.
Before a healthcare provider diagnoses asthma, however, they'll want to take your child's full health history and rule out other potential causes for breathing symptoms, such as upper respiratory infections.
How do you test for asthma in a child?
Asthma can be diagnosed through breathing tests like spirometry (measuring how much air a child can breathe in and out, and how fast) and the peak expiratory flow test (measuring how quickly your child can blow out air after taking a deep breath).
These breathing tests often aren't reliable in younger children, however, so family medicine providers may rely more on clinical assessments if a child is under 5 years old.
How do doctors treat childhood asthma?
Healthcare providers recommend different treatments based on the frequency and severity of a child's asthma symptoms. The overall goal is to keep childhood asthma symptoms under control and prevent asthma attacks or asthma exacerbations, while also avoiding any adverse side effects of medication.
• If a child has mild, occasional asthma symptoms (intermittent asthma), a provider might prescribe quick-relief rescue inhalers like albuterol to help with breathing.
• If a child has persistent asthma symptoms (like more than twice a week or 2 nights/month), a provider might prescribe a low dose of daily inhaled corticosteroids (ICS).
• If a child has severe asthma, a provider might step up the dose of the steroid inhaler, add different types of inhaled or oral medication (like montelukast), or refer a child to an asthma specialist.
In addition to prescription asthma medication, providers may also recommend avoiding asthma triggers like known allergens, and having regular asthma check-ins to determine if a medicine or dose needs to be changed.
Does childhood asthma go away?
Childhood asthma may go away by adulthood in up to 40% of cases, but the majority of children with asthma will continue to have symptoms as adults. Certain risk factors, like allergic sensitization and being younger when symptoms start, are associated with childhood asthma that persists into adulthood.

About asthma treatment

How does Amazon One Medical define well-controlled asthma?
Asthma experts define well-controlled asthma by the following criteria:
• Your asthma symptoms require a rescue inhaler (quick-reliever medication like albuterol) no more than 2 days/week
• Your asthma doesn't wake you up more than 2 nights/month
• Your lung function (as measured by peak expiratory flow or spirometry) is normal or within 20% of your best PEF or FEV1)
• In the past 12 months, you haven't had more than one asthma exacerbation where you needed oral glucocorticoids and/or urgent medical care
• You're able to do all your normal activities
If you don't meet these criteria or you've needed to take oral steroids or receive urgent medical care for your asthma within the past 4 weeks, your asthma doesn't meet the clinical definition of "controlled." Amazon One Medical Pay-per-visit isn't the most appropriate type of care for you. You’ll need to see a primary care provider for an in-person evaluation.
When should I go to the emergency room for asthma?
If you feel short of breath while sitting, you're lightheaded or wheezing, or you're experiencing severe chest pain, go directly to the nearest emergency room (ER).
If your symptoms feel more like asthma exacerbations you've had in the past, you should be seen today at your local primary care office or urgent care facility.
How is asthma diagnosed?
There are several breathing tests your healthcare provider may recommend. The most common test of lung function is called spirometry. The test is a simple and painless way to check how well your lungs are working. To do the test, you blow into a tube connected to a machine called a spirometer. The spirometer measures how much air you can blow out and how quickly, which can show whether your airways are narrowed or blocked.
Another test for asthma measures how quickly you can blow air out after taking a deep breath. This is called the peak expiratory flow rate test, or PEFR.
What does "severe asthma" mean?
People with severe asthma have frequent asthma attacks and trouble breathing most of the time, even when they are taking their medicine regularly. Their symptoms tend to be more difficult to control and may need more intensive treatments. Amazon One Medical providers can work with you closely to make sure you have access to effective treatments and partner with you to come up with an action plan for what to do during an asthma attack.
What types of treatments are available for asthma?
There are two main types of medications prescribed for asthma: quick-relief (“rescue”) inhalers and long-term control medicines.
Quick-relief inhalers are used when you have asthma symptoms. They work quickly (within 5-15 minutes) to help you breathe better by relaxing the muscles around your airways. Long-term control medicines reduce swelling and mucus in the airways and are taken every day to prevent asthma attacks. Some medicines combine the two.
Each person's asthma is different. You and your healthcare provider can work together to establish the best treatment plan based on your symptoms and needs. By taking the right medicine at the right time, you'll be able to breathe better and do more of the things you want to do.
I'm not great at carrying around multiple inhalers. Is there an option for me?
The latest research suggests that using a single inhaler that combines two treatments is a great option for many people with asthma. This type of inhaler includes two medicines: a steroid that helps to reduce inflammation and a medication called formoterol that acts quickly to relieve symptoms and helps keep the airways open for a longer time. Your provider can work with you to determine if this convenient treatment might be right for you.
How do I know if I'm using my inhaler the right way?
Proper use depends on the type of inhaler you have and whether or not a spacer is used. The American Lung Association’s guide on how to use asthma medicine devices includes helpful instruction guides and videos for each type of inhaler. Your primary care provider or your pharmacist can also review the best technique for using your asthma medication.
How do I know if my asthma treatments are working well?
Amazon One Medical providers will work with you to manage your asthma using a step-wise approach, adjusting the type and amount of medicine based on how well your asthma is controlled.
Asthma is considered well-controlled if you need your quick-relief inhaler less than 3 times per week, do not wake up with asthma during the night, and are able to do daily activities (including exercise) with few to no symptoms.
If your provider needs more detailed information to determine how well your asthma treatments are working, they may recommend breathing tests in addition to checking in about your symptoms.
What are some ways I can control my asthma triggers?
People with asthma often experience triggers that make their asthma worse. Knowing what causes your asthma symptoms is an important step toward controlling your asthma. Common asthma triggers include:
• Respiratory infections ( (like colds, flu, and COVID-19) )
• Allergens (like pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and mold)
• Smoke and other air pollution
• Cold air
• Intense physical activity
• Strong emotions like stress or excitement
• Strong odors (like perfumes, cleaning supplies, and air fresheners)
Your provider can help you to track what makes your asthma worse and to find simple solutions to reduce or avoid your asthma triggers.
How often should I see a healthcare provider for my asthma?
If you have asthma, it's important to review your asthma management plan with a heathcare provider at least once a year. Your medication could be stepped up or stepped down periodically, depending on your risk factors and how controlled your asthma is, but this requires careful monitoring.
If you've needed to take oral steroids more than 3 times in the past 12 months, it's especially important to review your asthma management plan with a trusted healthcare provider.
Besides quick-relief or controller medication, what can help me manage my asthma?
• Avoiding environmental triggers
• Avoiding respiratory viruses
• Family support
• Having an asthma action plan
• Monitoring your peak expiratory flow (PEF)
• Quitting smoking
What are the different ways of taking asthma medication?
Oral inhalation asthma medications can be delivered by metered dose inhaler (MDI), which uses HFA to propel medication into the lungs, or by dry powder inhaler (DPI), which is breath-actuated. Some asthma drugs can also be prescribed in vial form as nebulizer solution.
What are the different types of asthma?
There are 4 main types of asthma:
• Intermittent
• Mild persistent
• Moderate persistent
• Severe persistent
Your type of asthma will determine what medication you're prescribed. But these 4 asthma diagnoses aren't set in stone. When managing asthma, healthcare providers frequently reassess their patients' symptoms, stepping up or down medication doses as appropriate. Although asthma is chronic, it's also dynamic, and it's not unusual for someone's type of diagnosis to change.
Are people with asthma more likely to experience other atopic diseases?
Asthma, eczema (atopic dermatitis), and allergic rhinitis are all atopic diseases, meaning they're caused by an exaggerated and inappropriate immune response to a perceived threat. Essentially, your body's immune system recognizes a harmless substance (an antigen) as an enemy and launches a counterattack, leading to inflammation.
Asthma: Bronchoconstriction caused by hyperresponsive airways
Eczema (atopic dermatitis): Skin inflammation caused by dysregulation of the skin's barrier function
Allergic rhinitis (AR): Nasal inflammation caused by sensitization to aeroallergens
These 3 conditions are often linked across the lifespan, with childhood eczema sometimes leading to allergic rhinitis and asthma in a process called the atopic march.
Did you know?
• Up to 80% of children with asthma are later diagnosed with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis
• Up to 40% of people with allergic rhinitis also have asthma
• Up to 50% of people with asthma also have allergic rhinitis
There's no clear consensus on what causes these atopic diseases, though experts know that our environment is at least partially responsible. Factors like diet, hygiene, infections, and air pollution have all been implicated in the atopic triad.
Clinical sources
1. Bel E. H. (2013). Mild asthma. The New England journal of medicine, 369(24), 2362.
2. Castillo, J. R., Peters, S. P., & Busse, W. W. (2017). Asthma Exacerbations: Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment. The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice, 5(4), 918–927.
3. Hill, D. A., & Spergel, J. M. (2018). The atopic march: Critical evidence and clinical relevance. Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, 120(2), 131–137.
4. Kemp, J. P., & Kemp, J. A. (2001). Management of asthma in children. American family physician, 63(7), 1341–1354.
5. Martinez, F. D., Wright, A. L., Taussig, L. M., Holberg, C. J., Halonen, M., & Morgan, W. J. (1995). Asthma and wheezing in the first six years of life. The Group Health Medical Associates. The New England journal of medicine, 332(3), 133–138.