Walmart has announced the closure of its health centers and virtual care service due to the challenges of finding a sustainable business model for these offerings. The retail giant had launched its health centers five years ago with the goal of helping people save money on their healthcare needs. However, Walmart has realized that the reimbursement environment and operating costs have made it difficult to achieve profitability.
In March 2023, Walmart had announced plans to expand its health centers by opening 28 more locations in Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, and Kansas City. However, due to the lack of profitability, the company has decided to close its existing health centers instead. While Walmart does not have specific dates for when the health centers will close, it has stated that employees who worked at these locations are eligible to transfer to any other Walmart or Sam’s Club location. Despite the closure of its health centers, Walmart will continue to operate almost 4,600 pharmacies and more than 3,000 vision centers across the United States.
