In an effort to rein in healthcare costs for its 1.6 million employees, Walmart sends them directly to health systems that demonstrate high-quality care outcomes, otherwise known as Centers of Excellence.
Through the program, Walmart will cover the travel and treatment costs for employees seeking a range of services, but only for providers with which the company is contracted. Walmart then reimburses with bundled payments negotiated with the providers.
Below are the 18 health systems or providers to which Walmart will refer patients for defined episodes of care in 2024.
Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates/Carolinas Medical Center (Charlotte, N.C.)
Spine surgery
Cleveland Clinic
Heart surgery
Emory (Atlanta)
Spine surgery and weight loss surgery
Geisinger Medical Center (Danville, Pa.)
Spine surgery, hip and knee replacements, and weight loss surgery
Intermountain (Salt Lake City)
Weight loss surgery
Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore)
Hip and knee replacements
Kaiser Permanente (Irvine, Calif.)
Hip and knee replacements
KC Bariatric (Lenexa, Kan.)
Weight loss surgery
Kindbody (nationwide)
Fertility treatment
Mayo Clinic (Minnesota, Florida and Arizona)
Transplants, spine surgery, hip and knee replacements, and cancer care
Memorial Hermann (Houston)
Spine surgery
Mercy Springfield (Mo.)
Spine surgery and hip and knee replacements
Northeast Baptist (San Antonio)
Hip and knee replacements and weight loss surgery
Northwest Medical Center (Springdale, Ark.)
Weight loss surgery
Ochsner Health (New Orleans)
Spine surgery, hip and knee replacements, and weight loss surgery
Scripps Mercy (San Diego)
Hip and knee replacements
University Hospitals (Cleveland)
Hip and knee replacements and weight loss surgery
Virginia Mason Medical Center (Seattle)
Spine surgery, and hip and knee replacements