Consumer
Walmart Closes Health Centers, Telehealth Unit as Costs Rise
- Decision affects all 51 centers that had opened in five states
- Retailer will keep network of pharmacies and vision centers
A Walmart Health center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Photographer: Thomas Simonetti/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Walmart Inc. is abandoning its plan to build out a network of low-cost health clinics due to escalating costs and reimbursement challenges.
The retailer announced Tuesday that it will close all 51 health centers that it had opened in five states and shutter its telehealth business. The clinics, conveniently located next to a Walmart Supercenter, were designed to give customers easier access to care by providing a range of health services all under one roof.