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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is working with the insurance agency DirectHealth.com with its launch of Healthcare Begins Here, an in-store program that is designed to educate customers about health insurance options.
Walmart is working with the insurance agency DirectHealth.com with its launch of Healthcare Begins Here, an in-store program that is designed to educate customers about health insurance options.
The initiative comes in the aftermath of a recent announcement by the company that its 1.3 million workers will have to pay more for their health care coverage and that benefits would be ended for some part-time staff members. The increase in health insurance premiums for its entire U.S. workforce will begin in January.
The suspension of benefits will impact those associates who work fewer than 30 hours a week.
"Walmart has long been known for innovation in health and wellness, and we’ll never stop delivering new products and services to the 140 million people who visit our stores each week," said Labeed Diab, senior vice president and president of health and wellness, Walmart U.S. "For years, our customers have told us that there is too much complexity when it comes to understanding their health insurance options. Healthcare Begins Here addresses that complexity by bringing clarity and increased choice to the insurance enrollment process through DirectHealth.com."
Since 2005, Walmart has hosted insurance agents from individual insurers in stores to answer questions and enroll customers in specific health care plans. Healthcare Begins Here takes this offering to the next level in response to customers who wanted more options to choose from, notes the retailer.
For example, DirectHealth.com offers those 65 and older access to more than 1,700 plans from 12 leading carriers including Aetna, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare and participating Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. Those under 65 are offered access to thousands of Health Exchange plans from over 300 leading carriers.
