Does Walmart aim to be a major player in the world of primary care health services – or not? A request for information letter the retailer sent to its strategic partners in late October says the firm wants just that – but Walmart backed off on its own document Wednesday, calling part of it “overwritten and incorrect.”
We asked spokeswoman Tara Raddohl to clarify. Raddohl said the incorrect part referred only to the opening section titled “intent.”
That section reads, in its entirety:
Walmart did not dispute the authenticity of the document. Raddohl would not give any details on what role, exactly, Walmart wants to play in health care – and she would not elaborate on other parts of the 14-page request for information.
Other sections of the information request refer to Walmart wanting to be the “largest provider of primary healthcare services in the nation,” and to “dramatically lower the cost of healthcare while maintaining or improving outcomes.”
She declined to say how many requests were distributed, to whom, or what types of companies they represent.
The only thing the company would say for certain is: “we are not building a national, integrated, low-cost primary care health care platform,” according to the statement from to John Agwunobi, senior vice president and president of Walmart U.S. Health & Wellness.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.Some elements may be removed from this article due to republishing restrictions. If you have questions about available photos or other content, please contact khnweb@kff.org.
