health care Wal-Mart plans 1-stop insurance shopping

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Wal-Mart is taking one-stop shopping to another area: health insurance.

The world’s largest retailer plans to work with DirectHealth.com, an online health insurance comparison site and agency, to allow shoppers to compare coverage options and enroll in Medicare plans or the public-exchange plans created under the Affordable Care Act.

The strategy is another step into insurance marketing as the retailer tries to use its mammoth size to expand beyond food and other basics at a time of sluggish traffic and sales. It also could help Wal-Mart compete with drugstore chains such as Walgreens and CVS, which are adding health care services.

Wal-Mart says the program targets shoppers who have been confused by the enrollment process and about their health insurance programs. They include those whose employers scaled back their coverage to those who don’t have any insurance. That has sent customers shopping around on various health care sites or at various kiosks set up by specific insurance companies.

With the Wal-Mart program called “Healthcare Begins Here,” customers can enroll online, by phone or at 2,700 of Wal-Mart’s more than 4,000 stores, starting Friday. The stores will be staffed with independent insurance agents from DirectHealth.com.