To provide discounts on routine healthcare that shoppers might skip or delay due to cost, Walmart’s Sam’s Club is collaborating with multiple healthcare companies. Beginning next month, members in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Michigan will be able to purchase medical services bundles that can encompass telehealth consultations, discounted dental care and free prescriptions for some generic medications, The Associated Press reported.
The bundles provide savings on dental services within a provider network via Humana, in addition to unlimited telehealth for a dollar per visit through 98point6, a Seattle-based company. They also provide discounted vision exams and optical products. Depending on what the member selects, they can receive free generic prescriptions for five to 20 of the most popular medications.
The family bundle, in one case, comes with access to a preventative lab screening that looks at health indicators such as diabetes; a 10 percent discount on hearing aids; and up to a 30 percent discount on chiropractic care, acupuncture services and massage therapy. Every bundle also comes with prepaid health debit cards.
Sam’s Club reportedly says the program is meant to serve individuals, families and business owners who are skipping or putting off basic care due to high deductibles. Lori Flees, senior vice president of Sam’s Club Health and Wellness, said per the outlet, “We are lowering the barrier for people to take care of themselves.” (The executive also noted that the pilot could possibly come to all states.)
In separate news, Walmart is opening a Walmart Health clinic in Georgia. The company updated its website with a link to Walmart Health and activated the Walmarthealth.com website in August. The location is said to provide patients with comprehensive yet low-cost care, including services for mental health. The clinic is located in a building adjacent to Walmart to offer patients a sense of privacy. The company is expected to provide primary care, counseling, audiology, dental, X-rays and labs, among other offerings.