In recent news, Walmart is considering selling its closed health centers in order to recoup the investments it made in the unsustainable clinics. The retail giant has been engaged in discussions with health insurance companies like Humana to explore this possibility. However, it remains unclear if these talks are ongoing.
In 2019, Walmart opened its first Walmart Health center in Dallas, Georgia, offering primary care, labs, X-rays, and counseling at transparent prices regardless of insurance status. Despite this success, the company announced the closure of its Walmart Health Virtual Care unit due to a decline in virtual care visits following the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite these challenges, Walmart continues to operate its 4,600 pharmacies and 3,000 vision centers. In early June, the retailer’s stock reached an all-time high after JPMorgan upgraded its rating, highlighting a strong balance of defense and offense in response to a challenging consumer environment.
