Health insurance company Anthem has partnered with Walmart for a program that will allow its Medicare Advantage (MA) plan customers to use their over-the-counter (OTC) plan allowances to purchase health-related items at the retailer’s stores and web site. Covered items in the program, which will launch in January 2019, include first aid supplies, support braces and pain relievers.
The program is designed to increase access to health care products for seniors. More than 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart store, and the retailer offers free two-day shipping on orders of $35 or more from Walmart.com.
“Walmart is committed to making health care more affordable and accessible, and we are in constant pursuit of new ways to deliver on this commitment,” said Sean Slovenski, SVP of Health and Wellness at Walmart U.S in a statement.
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“Creating a better health care future requires us to think differently about how we can develop innovative and meaningful health care solutions for consumers,” said Felicia Norwood, Executive Vice President and President, Government Business Division, Anthem in a statement. “We believe that programs like this can make a tremendous difference for health care consumers who often live on a fixed income or are managing chronic medical conditions.”
