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Options for people in need of basic medical services is again shrinking as Walmart announces it is closing its health care centers nationwide, including nine locations in the region.
The Arkansas retailer announced Tuesday that it would shut down all 51 one of its Walmart Health centers and its Walmart Virtual Health Care service. The company operates the centers in five states and has 23 locations in Florida.
A specific closing date has not set.
“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,” the company says in a statement.
“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.”
Walmart joins Walgreens, which last month closed all its VillageMD clinics inside Florida stores.
Walmart launched the health care centers in 2019 as a way to reach customers in local communities and to offer affordable medical services for many who did not otherwise have access. The centers offered primary medical care, dental and behavioral services.
Just last year the company partnered with the insurance company Ambetter from Sunshine Health and the Orlando Health network “to provide Floridians with increased access to affordable health care options throughout the patient journey.”
According to Reuters, Walmart has declined to disclose sales at each health center or the losses it might incur from closing them.
Walmart did not disclose how many employees were losing their jobs because of the closings and Florida’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Notices database has not been updated as of midday Tuesday.
The company did say in the statement that all employees would be eligible to transfer to another Walmart or Sam’s Club location. Those who don’t, will be paid for 90 days and then qualify for severance.
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