Walmart had grand ambitions, back in 2019, to grow a network of cheaper primary care clinics attached to its ubiquitous stores. Those ambitions are now dead.
The retail giant said Tuesday it is shuttering its 51 medical clinics across five states, as well as its virtual care offering. Walmart attributed the decision to low payments from health insurers and high costs to operate the clinics.
The about-face comes just months after Walmart executives continued to tout their hopes for the clinics and telehealth options, and roughly a year and a half after Walmart kicked off a partnership with UnitedHealth Group to manage care for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage. The closures reveal the difficulty that has always existed for retailers that dabble in health care: People happily get their groceries, pet supplies, and lawn equipment at America’s retail conglomerates, but that doesn’t mean that’s where they want to get their primary care.
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