1. Trends & External Forces

Walmart Health expands access to affordable care in Florida

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Walmart Health is entering into a relationship with Ambetter from Sunshine Health, which provides insurance to individuals through the Florida health insurance marketplace, and with Orlando Health, a private, not-for-profit network of community and specialty hospitals across Florida, through Care Coordination Agreements. The agreements will provide Floridians with increased access to affordable health care options throughout the patient journey.

Walmart Health centers to serve Ambetter Health members with convenient care

Ambetter from Sunshine Health now includes Walmart Health Centers as a preferred provider in Clay, Duval, Hillsborough, Orange, Osceola, Pasco and Seminole counties in Florida through the Ambetter Value Plan. The relationship, which is built on a shared vision to help Americans gain access to affordable health care options, will initially focus on patient engagement through care coordination and referral management.

This collaboration marks an expansion of the existing relationship between Walmart Health and Ambetter Health, the largest and longest-running carrier on the health insurance marketplace and one of the leading health care programs provided by Centene Corporation (“Centene”) (NYSE: CNC). The relationship started earlier this year as the companies collaborated to enhance awareness of Medicaid redetermination efforts and expand access to marketplace health insurance within Walmart Health centers.

“We continue to look for ways to make health care even more accessible to the communities we serve,” said Richard Fuchs, senior vice president, sales, strategy and innovation at Walmart. “Both Walmart Health and Ambetter Health share a focus on serving local communities, and this collaboration will enable more Floridians to access care. We’re excited to offer Ambetter from Sunshine Health members quality care in one location, conveniently located adjacent to Walmart Supercenters where many members already shop for groceries and everyday essentials.”

Walmart officials aren’t the only ones looking forward to the value the partnership will provide.

“Centene’s mission is to transform the health of the communities we serve, one person at a time,” said Kevin Counihan, the CEO of Ambetter Health. “By working together with Walmart Health in Florida, we are well-positioned to help deliver quality, affordable health care options in new locations across the state. Ultimately, this will broaden access to care for more Floridians through Ambetter from Sunshine Health.”

Marketplace open enrollment runs from Nov. 1, 2023 through Jan. 15, 2024. Ending dates will vary by state. Learn more about The Ambetter from Sunshine Health’s Value Plan with Walmart Health network as well as other Ambetter Health plan options through ambetter.sunshinehealth.com.

Walmart Health and Orlando Health working together to coordinate care

Walmart Health and Orlando Health are working together to serve the Orlando community through care coordination activities designed to make it easier for Orlando area residents and their providers to coordinate a patient’s health care journey. By working together, Walmart Health and Orlando Health have agreed to more closely align on their approach to serving patients and managing patient outcomes by streamlining the patient experience through effective transitions of care and ensure robust communication between Walmart Health center and Orlando Health providers.

“Value-based outcomes are a community effort, and it is a natural evolution to work closely with other providers in the community that have shared goals. With Orlando Health as a partner, we look forward to offering a more streamlined service for our Orlando-area Walmart Health patients in support of community wellness,” said Eric Prochnow, a senior director of clinical network partnerships at Walmart.

“By collaborating with Walmart Health and focusing on care coordination in the shared patient populations, we’ll be better positioned to more quickly identify patient needs and improve outcomes together in the Orlando area,” said Cary D’Ortona, senior vice president, Orlando Health and president, Orlando Health Medical Group.

Walmart Health provides a range of health care services in one convenient location for members of the community so they can get the right care at the right time – right where they live.

Continuing its commitment to making quality health care more convenient, accessible and affordable for customers across the country, Walmart Health expanded its footprint with 17 new health centers across the state of Florida this year. Walmart Health now supports the state of Florida with a total of 23 Walmart Health centers, adjacent to their respective Supercenters, to deliver primary care, labs, x-ray and EKG, behavioral health, dental, select specialty services and community health all in one facility. These Walmart Health centers offer care seven days a week with convenient weekend and evening hours as well as telehealth options on Sundays. Here are the operating hours:

Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday telehealth: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Walmart Health is operated by qualified medical professionals, including physicians, nurse practitioners and behavioral health providers. Walmart Health care hosts and community health workers are onsite to help customers navigate their visit, understand available resources and be a familiar presence for regular visits.

Patients can make an appointment and check insurance eligibility at walmarthealth.com.

The post Walmart Health expands access to affordable care in Florida appeared first on MMR: Mass Market Retailers.

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