Wal-Mart Plans Ambitious Expansion Into Medical Care

[Klukie]

Wal-Mart wants to be your doctor.

The nation's largest retailer is planning to offer medical services ranging from the management of diabetes to HIV infections, NPR and Kaiser Health News have learned.

In the same week in late October that Wal-Mart said it would stop offering health insurance benefits to new part-time employees, the retailer sent out a request for partners to help it "dramatically ... lower the cost of healthcare ... by becoming the largest provider of primary healthcare services in the nation."

On Tuesday, Wal-Mart spokeswoman Tara Raddohl confirmed the proposal. She declined to elaborate on specifics, calling it simply an effort to determine "strategic next steps."


http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/11/09/142156478/wal-mart-plans-ambitious-expansion-into-medical-care?sc=fb&cc=fp

[HopeHoops]

1. Great - a skype connection to a doctor in China who doesn't speak English.

Yeah, I can see that working out well.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. I hate Wal-Mart.

[bullwinkle428]

3. Yes, they just "dramatically lowered the cost of healthcare" for their

employees by taking all kinds of benefits away from them! :mad:

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[eShirl]

8. hahahahaha look at the freaky poor people!

[jwirr]

13. That is a terrible video. Thumbs down.

[MedicalAdmin]

5. Oh fuck.

And I thought things couldn't get worse....

I cannot compete with Walmart in health care. No one can. They are a monopoly in any field they enter. If this happens then primary care is dead.

[eShirl]

6. They already have an in-store clinic here in partnership with a local osteopathic hospital

http://inlandhospital.org/walmart.aspx

edit: it seems my impression from seeing Inland Clinic inside the Walmart store was incorrect:

The Clinic at Walmart in Waterville is operated by an affiliate of Inland Hospital, “Inland Family Practice Associates, LLC.”

The medical clinic located at Walmart Supercenter is owned and operated by an independent company that is unaffiliated with Walmart. Walmart does not employ any health care professionals or exercise any control over the provision of health care service at the clinics.

[kenny blankenship]

7. Bend over, here comes your "Uniquely American" solution to health care.

[Klukie]

16. You got that right!

[Turbineguy]

9. Did they legalize

silencers?

[Shagbark Hickory]

10. I say it's worth a shot.

Who better to negotiate costs than walmart? That's part of what we need.
Another part of what we need is lower cost and more accessible GP type doctors to help people diagnose problems before they become more serious.

I don't think these quick clinics are going to solve all our problems and it's not the ideal system by a long shot but our government isn't stepping in to do anything about it and the rest of the private sector sure as hell doesn't care to do anything about it.

Walmart installs car tires for like $6 a pop. A loss leader to get you in the store perhaps. If making inexpensive checkups as easy as getting your tires rotated, then I for one definitely think it's a great idea. And if they did so I would have to seriously re-evaluate my opinion of walmart. That said, it would have to be much more substantial than the little quick clinics that are in some grocery stores and CVS etc. If they actually added a separate part of the building and separate parking like they do for the tire center then I will be thoroughly impressed.

Someone made a wisecrack about going on Skype to chat with a doctor in China.
All kidding aside, I would pay money for that service. It sure as hell beats the hell out of waiting 4 weeks to get a friggin apointment then pay $300 or the co-pay then fight with the insurance company to actually pay the damn bill just to ask a simple question or two.

We need solutions here. Creative ones.

[jwirr]

11. Our WM has special parking spot just for pharmacy users, signs all

over suggesting you change pharmacies, a stand for giving flu shots. It makes me angry that they are giving shots. That is what clinics are for.

[femrap]

12. So will Walmart have

to pay Malpractice Insurance???? No, they'll have someone else operate it and make them pay the Insurance.

But it does bring to mind many 'theatrical' situations to my mind if I were to visit a clinic in Walmart. :evilgrin:

Hell, Walmart will probably find a way to sicken its customers so to get them into their clinics.

[ThatsMyBarack]

14. Wal-Mart boards the medical ripoff train!

WOO! WOO!

[jwirr]

15. Have they started taking Medicare/Medicaid cards yet! They didn't

want to until they found out they could make money off them.

[woo me with science]

17. Disgusting, but predictable.

There are two tiers now.

I was thinking along these lines noticing recent commercials for Walmart or Walgreens, touting this machine you stand on that supposedly "diagnoses" your orthopedic/foot problems and recommends a specific support for purchase.

We are heading toward a system where the rich go to physicians, and the poor put a dollar in a machine and are given some band-aid "diagnosis" and cure.

[Klukie]

18. I think you may be right