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BumRushDaShow

(130,447 posts)
Tue Apr 30, 2024, 05:39 PM Apr 30

Walmart to shut all health clinics in US over lack of profitability

Source: Reuters

April 30, 2024 1:57 PM EDT Updated 4 hours ago


April 30 (Reuters) - Walmart (WMT.N) said on Tuesday it will close all 51 of its health clinics and shut its virtual health care operations, saying it could not see it as a sustainable business model to continue.

"Healthcare is expensive to run. We were finding that the increased labor and operating costs environment, like with reimbursement, both public and private, made it difficult (to run the business) and obvious we had to close," Walmart spokeswoman Marilee McInnis told Reuters. The company said in a statement those challenges created an environment where it saw a "lack of profitability" that made the care business "unsustainable for us at this time."

Companies such as Walmart, Walgreens, Amazon and CVS have expanded into providing healthcare services during the past five years, seeing opportunities in the highly fragmented U.S. system. But it has not been clear that consumers want such services from retailers or that they are profitable. Walgreens, for instance, is planning to close 160 of its VillageMD primary care clinics after it recorded a $5.8 billion impairment charge on its investment in VillageMD.

Amazon in February said it would cut a few hundred jobs across its healthcare units, including clinic operator One Medical which it acquired for $3.5 billion last year. And Walmart's sudden decision to close all its 51 health clinics and telehealth operations marks a startling about-face from its plan last year to nearly double the number of these health centers across the U.S. by 2024.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/walmart-close-51-us-health-centers-2024-04-30/

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Walmart to shut all health clinics in US over lack of profitability (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Apr 30 OP
Sad. I honestly never heard of this but I'm sure some jimfields33 Apr 30 #1
It is sad XanaDUer2 Apr 30 #2
I used it a time or two myself. ShazzieB May 1 #20
Good bucolic_frolic Apr 30 #3
They just opened one near me less than two weeks ago. cloudbase Apr 30 #4
Gee Golly, I'm shocked... Mr. Mustard 2023 Apr 30 #5
Sorry to hear they weren't profitable I guess, but bigtime Apr 30 #6
It's almost as if area51 Apr 30 #7
true catsudon Apr 30 #13
I would think nowforever Apr 30 #8
And perhaps people would spend some money TexasBushwhacker May 1 #16
More shelf space for Flaming Hot Cheetos and Pepsi!!! hatrack Apr 30 #9
Good, it is none of Walmart's business to know about peoples' health mysteryowl Apr 30 #10
Walmart missed out on an opportunity. RipVanWinkle Apr 30 #12
Dead Peasants policies, yes, noted in Michael Moore's film Sicko I think. appalachiablue Apr 30 #14
In other words it truly revealed how badly it pays it's store employees because they couldn't afford to use it. cstanleytech Apr 30 #11
Back to their roots, i.e. selling America.... KY_EnviroGuy May 1 #15
When I am "forced" to... Mr. Mustard 2023 May 1 #21
Just remember, the Walton heirs still control 51% TexasBushwhacker May 1 #17
Just another rich corporation trying to profit from people's illnesses. Lonestarblue May 1 #18
Oops, I suppose I am now doctorless. RobertDevereaux May 1 #19
Healthcare and profitability should not be in the same sentence. AllyCat May 1 #22
THIS 👆👆👆 BumRushDaShow May 1 #23

ShazzieB

(16,729 posts)
20. I used it a time or two myself.
Wed May 1, 2024, 08:56 AM
May 1

But this area is well supplied with urgent care facilities, so they had a ton of competition. It's probably like that lots pf places.

cloudbase

(5,533 posts)
4. They just opened one near me less than two weeks ago.
Tue Apr 30, 2024, 06:02 PM
Apr 30

It looked like a one-stop shop for medical, dental, and behavioral health needs.

Mr. Mustard 2023

(127 posts)
5. Gee Golly, I'm shocked...
Tue Apr 30, 2024, 06:04 PM
Apr 30

....shocked delivering health care to humans doesn't lend it self to big box store retail sales tactics.

I remember when The John McCain, who was a jerk and I will not defer criticism of the Republicon, said how Walmart was the future of health care delivery in the U.S.

Location and population matter of course, but Walmart isn't going to make any effort to, you know actually provide health care - if it hurts it's bottom line.

The love affair some in this country have their phantom "free market" is astonishing. I know many who would rather pay more and receive less services than move to a single payer system, i.e. Medicare.

I'm done with sociopaths and idiots.

bigtime

(725 posts)
6. Sorry to hear they weren't profitable I guess, but
Tue Apr 30, 2024, 06:08 PM
Apr 30

Healthcare should be a human right and not a for-profit business.

catsudon

(857 posts)
13. true
Tue Apr 30, 2024, 10:38 PM
Apr 30

walmart has a fiduciary responsibility to profit. but greed has tainted many many many ceos.

rarely do we find a gem, for example, the ceo for Arizon Ice Tea kept their price at 99$ for 20 years. if i couldn't wait to brew my high mountain taiwanese green tea, AZ green tea is my go to.

nowforever

(324 posts)
8. I would think
Tue Apr 30, 2024, 06:42 PM
Apr 30

Providing affordable health care for your loyal patrons is just the right thing to do. It's sad they cannot think beyond their bottom line.

mysteryowl

(7,470 posts)
10. Good, it is none of Walmart's business to know about peoples' health
Tue Apr 30, 2024, 08:00 PM
Apr 30

Walmart is really creepy. They buy life insurance policies on some of their staff and collect when they die!

RipVanWinkle

(239 posts)
12. Walmart missed out on an opportunity.
Tue Apr 30, 2024, 10:21 PM
Apr 30

With access to the health care records of its Flaming Cheetos eating and Pepsi drinking customers, Walmart could determine which of those customers had shortened their lifespans. Walmart could then had purchased life insurance policies on those customers and collected the payments from the policies after those customers had passed away.

cstanleytech

(26,390 posts)
11. In other words it truly revealed how badly it pays it's store employees because they couldn't afford to use it.
Tue Apr 30, 2024, 09:52 PM
Apr 30

KY_EnviroGuy

(14,510 posts)
15. Back to their roots, i.e. selling America....
Wed May 1, 2024, 02:57 AM
May 1

$billions of imported junk every day so we can throw.....

$billions of imported junk into landfills every day.....

Mr. Mustard 2023

(127 posts)
21. When I am "forced" to...
Wed May 1, 2024, 09:36 AM
May 1

...to go to a Walmart which I know sounds like weasel words, but I've been to one maybe 3 times of four years, all I see is cheap plastic crap, wrapped in plastic and behind glass or plastic sheets.

It is all junk. I saw a bottle of shampoo packed in a two sheet piece of plastic about 8.5 x 11 to protect against theft.

We're destroying our planet for this. I cannot believe this. I cannot believe it. I watch in amazement everyday as the earth heats, and wildlife dies, as food become scarce and single use plastics choke out life on earth.

I have hard time pretending days are normal, as people act like nothing is wrong.

TexasBushwhacker

(20,265 posts)
17. Just remember, the Walton heirs still control 51%
Wed May 1, 2024, 04:38 AM
May 1

of all the stock. If this decision was made, it's because THEY want it.

Lonestarblue

(10,255 posts)
18. Just another rich corporation trying to profit from people's illnesses.
Wed May 1, 2024, 07:44 AM
May 1

Assuming that Biden wins and Democrats maintain control of both houses of Congress, I hope that plans for a transition to universal healthcare get started. The for-profit model is a disaster.

RobertDevereaux

(1,861 posts)
19. Oops, I suppose I am now doctorless.
Wed May 1, 2024, 08:00 AM
May 1

Had annual physical a few weeks ago.

Great doc retired, reassigned me to a new doc next year, at VillageMed.

There it goes.

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