After a five-year period of operation, Walmart has decided to close all 51 of their health clinics and to discontinue telehealth services.  The company noted that the business was unprofitable mainly due to difficulty in obtaining reimbursement. The decision will impact 40 health centers in Florida and Georgia and the remainder among four southern states.

 Walmart health centers were established in 2019 in selected Supercenters offering medical and dental services and urgent care at competitive prices.  Experience gained over the five-year period will be applied to 4,600 pharmacies and 3,000 vision centers.  Walmart intends to continue with immunizations and diagnostic services including health screenings.

The action by Walmart follows the decision by Walgreen’s to close 160 Village-MD primary care clinics resulting in a $5.8 billion impairment charge.