Walmart announced this Tuesday the closure of all its health care clinics. The retail chain will close 51 health establishments in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri and Texas and will also stop offering the virtual medical care services it has offered since 2019.
The company announced the closure of these establishments through a press release. It explained that the decision to close its health care clinics was due to "lack of profitability":
This is a difficult decision, and like others, the challenging reimbursement environment and escalating operating costs create a lack of profitability that make the care business unsustainable for us at this time.
Who is affected by the closure of Walmart health centers?
As reported by CNN, Walmart health facilities offered primary and urgent care as well as laboratories, X-rays, behavioral health and dental services. They were very useful health centers for the low-income population and those in rural areas who could not afford basic health care. With the closure of the medical service for these people, they will be harmed, as highlighted by professor of health care policy and medicine at Harvard Medical School, Ateev Mehorotra:
One of unique things was they were focused on stores located in underserved communities. It’s disappointing that Walmart wasn’t able to make it work because these patients need care and don’t have as many options.
The closures of Walmart health centers will take place within 30 to 90 days, as the retail company explained in its statement in which it also acknowledged that its decision "was not easy" since it "affects lives":
The decision to close all 51 health centers across five states and shut down the virtual care offering was not easy. We understand this change affects lives – the patients who receive care, the associates and providers who deliver care and the communities who supported us along the way.
