Walmart, UnitedHealth Group partner on health services
Walmart and UnitedHealth Group announced the beginning of an initial 10-year, wide-ranging collaboration.
Together, the companies will work to bring together the collective expertise of serving millions with affordable health services that improve health outcomes and the patient experience.
Slated to begin in 2023 with 15 Walmart Health locations in Florida and Georgia, the companies will expand their collaboration to additional locations over time. The end goal, the companies said, is serving seniors and Medicare beneficiaries in value-based arrangements through multiple Medicare Advantage plans.
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“We’re on a journey to transform health care, connecting more people to the right care at the right time — at a cost that makes sense,” said Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart. “This collaboration puts the patient at the center of health care by leveraging the strength and complementary skill sets of our two companies to accelerate access to quality care.”
Optum, a UnitedHealth Group business, will help enable Walmart Health clinicians through analytics and decision support tools to deliver comprehensive value-based care that can help drive positive health outcomes for seniors and Medicare beneficiaries. These capabilities will enhance the care already provided at Walmart Health centers, which deliver quality, accessible care through a collaborative, team-based delivery model, and will help accelerate the transition to value-based care by enabling clinicians to focus on patient outcomes, the company said.
“UnitedHealth Group and Walmart share a deep commitment to high-quality and affordable primary care-led services that address all of a patient’s health needs in ways that are convenient for them and improve health outcomes,” said Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group.
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Beginning in January 2023, the collaboration will include a co-branded Medicare Advantage plan in Georgia, UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Walmart Flex (HMO-POS). Also in January 2023, Walmart Health Virtual Care will be in network for commercial members in UnitedHealthcare’s Choice Plus PPO plan, giving consumers another option to access care when and where they want it.
Eventually, the collaboration aims to serve even more people, including those across commercial and Medicaid plans, by providing access to fresh food and enhancing current initiatives to address social determinants of health, over-the-counter and prescription medications, and dental and vision services, Walmart noted.