Walmart’s care clinic is just the start of its healthcare plan

Fresh off the heels of its announcement to enter primary care with its own clinic, retail giant Walmart is preparing a big push into the healthcare space.

That’s according to Sean Slovenski, president of health and wellness at Walmart, who spoke with Business Insider about the company’s massive plans. While the first care clinic, which Walmart is opening in Georgia this month, is a prototype, the care model could very well take off and make Walmart a major provider of basic care in the region, Slovenski divulged. Looking ahead, Walmart wants to provide doctor visits, dentistry and lab testing at lower rates––about 30% to 50% below what people have already been paying. Walmart will likely open more clinics in the south.

Walmart’s moves could potentially be seen as defensive to Amazon, one of its biggest competitors and an increasingly larger entrant in the healthcare field, and CVS Health, which acquired health insurer Aetna last year.

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Amy Baxter

Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."

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