Walmart to shutter health centers, virtual care service in latest failed push into health care
CNBC
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Contributed by: Sarah Richardson
Summary
Walmart announced the closure of all its health-care clinics across the United States, marking a significant reversal from its prior expansion plans in the health sector, including primary care, dental, and telehealth services. Citing a broken business model, operational challenges, and financial losses driven by high operating costs and a challenging reimbursement environment, the company decided to shutter its 51 clinic locations in states like Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Texas, without affecting its pharmacies and vision centers. This decision comes after earlier announcements of expansion and amidst a backdrop of the company struggling with high executive turnover and competitive dynamics in healthcare. Walmart's move represents another example of the difficulties companies face when trying to disrupt the traditional, complex, and costly American healthcare system.
