Walmart Looks Toward Training More Health Workers, Streamlining Care For Employees In Health Care Push

Stat: 4 Ways Walmart Is Hoping Retail Savvy Can Overhaul The Health Care System
Walmart made waves in September when it announced an ambitious plan to create new, freestanding primary care clinics — Supercenters for health that one vice president called the “epicenter” of the retail giant’s health care strategy. But Walmart is also working quietly on several smaller, coordinated efforts to revamp its approach to health care. Some, like the clinics, are aimed at consumers. Walmart is working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand telemedicine offerings for veterans. It’s also starting to sell “bundles” of health discounts to its Sam’s Club members on things like dental care. (Thielking, 2/5)

Modern Healthcare: Nurse Practitioner Workforce Doubles Amid Primary-Care Push
The nurse practitioner workforce more than doubled over a seven-year span as the healthcare industry ramps up primary care, according to new research. The number of NPs grew at an unprecedented rate across major professions from around 91,000 in 2010 to 190,000 in 2017, an analysis of U.S. Census data that Health Affairs published Monday revealed. The outpatient setting represented the fastest-growing sector that employed NPs. Meanwhile, that employment shift may have drawn up to 80,000 registered nurses from their practice, leaving hospital executives to grapple with higher turnover rates. (Kacik, 2/3)

Modern Healthcare: Low-Value Services’ Prevalence Varies Across Regions
Residents who live in the north and southeast are more likely to receive a low-value healthcare service than those living in western and Midwestern states, according to a new analysis. The report, published by researchers at consultancy Altarum and funded by the PhRMA Foundation, found that about 20% of members of a large national insurer living in Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina and New York received at least one low-value service in 2015 while roughly 10% of the insurer’s members living in Alaska, North Dakota, Utah and Oregon experienced a low-value service. (Castellucci, 2/4)

Modern Healthcare: House Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Tighten CMMI’s Reins
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Monday introduced a bill to ramp up transparency and accountability efforts for the CMS’ Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. The Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act—HR 5741—would require the HHS secretary to keep track of how a demonstration model affects beneficiaries’ access to care. HHS would also have to monitor the effects of delivery and payment changes on healthcare disparities and alleviate related issues that could negatively affect health outcomes. (Brady, 2/4)