Walmart Shuts Down Health Centers and Virtual Care Service Amidst Financial Struggles

The retail giant, Walmart, has announced the shutdown of its health centers and virtual care service after failing to make them successful. Five years ago, the company launched these services with the goal of helping people save money on their healthcare needs. However, a challenging reimbursement environment and escalating operating costs have made the care business unsustainable for Walmart at this time.

Walmart had 51 health centers in five states but has now decided to close all of them. The company had plans to expand with more centers in different areas, including Dallas and Houston, but those plans have been scrapped. Instead, Walmart will focus on its existing pharmacies and vision centers in the U.S., which number almost 4,600 and over 3,000 respectively.

The closure of Walmart’s health centers and virtual care service is expected to affect hundreds of employees who will have the opportunity to transfer to other Walmart or Sam’s Club locations. While there is no specific date for the closure yet, Walmart will provide that information when available.