USA 
United Kingdom
Walmart has expanded its online primary care benefits as part of its employee health insurance plan to its workers in 28 U.S. states.
Reuters reports that the retailer, which employs more than 2 million people and is the largest private employer in the United States, has partnered with a virtual healthcare services provider to expand its online primary care services, which are already available in 21 states.
The expansion comes months after Walmart announced plans to open new healthcare centres in the U.S. next year, as the company looks to expand its footing in the industry.
As part of the expansion, which kicks off this week, employees can access virtual care options, including digestive health and physical therapy as well as a few diagnostic tests at home, starting early next year, the retailer said.
Walmart said in a blog post it had observed an 11% reduction in the total costs of care for its employees and their families from a pilot run for its virtual primary care service.
The company added that most of its online health services offered as part of the plan were available at no additional cost.
In a statement, Walmart’s Vice President of Well-being, Lisa Woods said: “We all know it’s not always easy to get in to see a doctor – from the wait to schedule an appointment to the referrals from one doctor to another, to the arrangement of travel that often comes with seeing the right specialist.
“As the nation’s largest private employer and a major investor in the health and well-being of associates, we are all too familiar with the challenges our associates face and the misalignment between the need for primary care and the supply.
“That’s why this week we’re expanding virtual primary care, building on the traditional telehealth service for occasional sick visits, to allow Walmart associates and their families the option to develop long-standing relationships with quality doctors across the country.”
Woods added: “Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, we started laying the foundation for virtual care for simple sick needs such as sore throats and colds, not knowing how much the world, and the health care needs of our associates, were about to change.
“The pandemic accelerated the need for on-demand access to quality providers, which built upon the solid foundation of our existing virtual care strategy. This also included enhanced mental health benefits our associates and their families can take advantage of at no cost, whether they are enrolled in a Walmart medical plan or not.”
