Walmart has announced the closure of its health centers and virtual care service, citing a lack of success in these offerings. Despite launching health centers five years ago with the goal of helping people save money on their healthcare needs, Walmart has now determined that there is not a sustainable business model for these services to continue.
Walmart’s health centers were initially successful, with 51 locations in five states. However, the company found that the challenging reimbursement environment and escalating operating costs made it unsustainable at this time. This decision comes after Walmart had previously announced plans to add more than two dozen health centers to some of its stores in 2023.
Despite the closure of its health centers, Walmart still operates almost 4,600 pharmacies and more than 3,000 vision centers in the U.S. While this decision signifies a shift in Walmart’s healthcare offerings, the company remains committed to providing affordable and accessible healthcare services to its customers.
