The retail giant has unveiled Better Care Services, offering members online access to a handful of third-party urgent care and behavioral health providers. Could this be the beginning of a new wave of disruptors? Walmart is taking another shot at being a healthcare disruptor. Less than two years after ditching its virtual care and health clinic platforms, the retail giant is launching a new service aimed at connecting members with healthcare providers for telehealth visits and pharmacy services. In a January 8 announcement, Walmart announced the launch of Better Care Services, described as a “one-stop digital destination … designed to empower millions of customers to take control of their health journeys with ease, transparency and confidence.” The digital health platform bucks the trend of disruptors moving away from the primary care marketplace, and may signal a subtle shift back as millions of Americans lose access to care through the expiration of ACA subsidies and other OBBBA impacts. “We know that when heathcare feels hard, many people don’t get the care they need,” Kevin Host, Walmart’s senior vice president of health and wellness and pharmacy, said in the release. “We can fix that. Better Care Services is about making wellness simple and affordable to fit into your life; we’re removing barriers so more people can get the care they deserve, right when they need it.” googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(“dfp-ad-hl_native1”); }); Through the platform, members can access “a curated network of third-party providers for urgent care and behavioral health.” At present, those providers…
