Lori Flees, senior vice president and COO of Walmart Health, officially launched Walmart Insurance Services Oct. 6. The insurance agency will "assist people with enrolling in insurance plans and simplify what's historically been a cumbersome, confusing process," Ms. Flees said.
Five things to know:
1. Ms. Flees outlined the operations of Walmart Insurance Services in a Oct. 6 blog post. Walmart will begin selling Medicare insurance plans during this year's open enrollment period, from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.
2. Walmart Insurance Services will provide Medicare products, including Part D, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans. The products will be offered by Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Amerigroup, Simply Health, WellCare, Clover Health and Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. More insurers will be added, Ms. Flees said.
3. In July, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette broke news that Walmart had started seeking Medicare sales managers and insurance agents for a new entity called Walmart Insurance Services.
4. In early October, Walmart announced its partnership with Medicare Advantage insurer Clover Health on its first health insurance plans, which will be open to half a million people in eight counties in Georgia.
5. Walmart's insurance business is licensed in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Ms. Flees said the company has hired insurance agents to help people find insurance plans.