On Saturday, Aug. 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., North Texans can get free back-to-school wellness checkups and affordable immunizations for the upcoming school year under an event they are calling Wellness Day.
All participating locations will offer screenings for glucose, cholesterol, BMI, and blood pressure levels for free, and select locations will also have vision screenings available at no cost. Several immunizations will also be available for a charge, but Walmart says the prices will be "affordable."
This news comes as a surprise on the heels of Walmart announcing in April that they are discontinuing the health center program and will shutter 51 in-store centers due to a lack of profitability. T
exas was initially slated to receive 18 additional Walmart health centers in 2024, as per a 2023 announcement, but instead, it is closing all of them nationwide. They might be among the best places to save on groceries , but perhaps not healthcare. See which states will be the most impacted by the decision.
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Arkansas
Arkansas is home to three Walmart health centers. While the presence wasn’t great in the retailer's birthplace, the closure of these locations could make accessing affordable health care more challenging for these communities.
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Walmart’s largest health center presence is in the Sunshine State. The goal of these health centers is to connect providers and patients — building connections in the community.
With 23 health centers around the state, Florida residents will probably feel this news the most out of any state.
Georgia
Walmart has 17 health centers in Georgia. This news is a major disappointment for the state, which is ranked 44th for healthcare access and 47th in healthcare affordability across the nation.
The loss of Walmart health centers is likely to perpetuate these standings for Georgia residents.
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Illinois
Illinois’ only remaining Walmart health center is located in Chicago. The impact will likely be small, as Walmart closed other stores and health centers in the area in 2023 — citing the lack of profitability.
Texas
While these health centers don’t have the largest presence in Texas, Walmart had planned to expand widely in the Lone Star State — with 18 new health centers planned for 2024. This abrupt change in direction for the retailer will likely leave many Texans disappointed at the announcement.
Pharmacies still available
Walmart has over 4,500 pharmacies inside stores across the nation. Health centers weren’t an expansion of pharmacy services — these locations offered several same-day services like:
- Same-day primary care
- Primary care by appointment
- Dental care
- Behavioral health appointments
- Labs
- X-rays
The closure of Walmart health centers will not impact pharmacy operations. You will still be able to obtain prescription medications, receive immunizations, and get tests for the Flu, Strep Throat, and COVID-19.
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Considering the massive expansion that Walmart had planned for its health centers, this shift will have a significant impact on the staff operating these facilities.
The final date for operations is Friday, June 28th, 2024. In an effort to ease the transition, Walmart has offered the following concessions to current employees of its health centers:
- Associates are able to transfer to another Walmart or Sam’s Club location
- Associates will be paid for 90 days unless they transfer or terminate their employment
- At the end of 90 days, eligible associates will receive severance benefits
Walmart vs. Amazon
Amazon, though primarily an online retailer, is one of Walmart’s biggest competitors. Amazon dove into the healthcare space when it acquired One Medical in 2023.
Walmart's expansion into the healthcare space made sense, given that so many locations already have pharmacy services. With 90% of the US population living within 10 miles of a Walmart, the idea was to become a one-stop shop for all your needs, including healthcare.
Unfortunately, Walmart decided to end the venture completely because it just wasn’t profitable. The company stated:
“We understand that this change will affect lives — the patients who receive care, the associates and providers who deliver care, and the communities who supported us along the way.”
“This is a difficult decision, and like others, the challenging reimbursement environment and escalating operating costs create a lack of profitability that makes the care business unsustainable for us at this time.”
What’s next for Walmart?
After announcing the abrupt end to its foray into healthcare what’s next for the retail giant?
Based on their 2024 announcements, Walmart is leaning heavily into investing in technology. Everything from robotic fulfillment centers to AI shopping suggestions, Walmart believes that AI and AR are the future of retail.
Walmart is also focused on expanding its reach. In 2024, the store plans to build or remodel an additional 150 locations.
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Walmart might be the perfect place to save on everyday essentials , but its move into health care didn’t go as planned. Despite shuttering its foray into health center options, Walmart is continuing to host Wellness Days, a back-to-school event it began in 2014. Walmart will also be sending pharmacists and opticians to represent the store at the Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair and the Tarrant County Back to School Roundup.
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