Deals
Walmart in Talks With Humana for Deeper Partnership
- Discussions have included merger, but deal is said unlikely
- Companies join Cigna, CVS in grappling with health costs
The Humana Inc. office building in Louisville, Kentucky.
Photographer: Luke Sharrett/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Walmart Inc. is in talks with health insurer Humana Inc. for a closer partnership to provide health care to consumers at home and prevent illness, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Health-care spending accounted for about 18 percent of the U.S. economy last year, and continues to surge with an aging population, pricey medications, and a complex regime of reimbursements and middlemen. Companies have been trying to address some of the market’s inefficiencies by forging alliances or getting bigger: Cigna Corp. is acquiring Express Scripts Holding Co. for $54 billion, and CVS Health Corp. is buying Aetna Inc. for $68 billion.