Walmart has gone ahead and proved its commitment to the health and wellbeing of its employees. The American multinational retail company has announced virtual primary care services for its associates.
The company is extending the care coverage through its employee health insurance programme to employees in 28 states across the US. With this, the company, headquartered in in Bentonville, Arkansas, aims to recognise the difficulties its staff members encounter and the mismatch between the demand for primary healthcare and its availability.
The initiative will offer the employees traditional telehealth service for occasional sick visits, including virtual care options for digestive health and physical therapy. Furthermore, there will be options for basic at-home lab work starting early 2024.
In a regulatory filing, the company revealed that it’s the largest private employer in the US with a workforce exceeding two million individuals. Hence, it has joined forces with the virtual healthcare service provider, Included Health, to broaden its existing online primary care services, currently accessible in 21 states.
Furthermore, most of these virtual benefits are accessible to associates and their families at no charge, with a $0 co-pay, including several mental health benefits.
The pilot programme demonstrated an 11 per cent reduction in the total cost of care, indicating the potential for cost savings and improved health outcomes through this innovative healthcare approach.
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