Walmart Health to Discontinue Hearing Aid Sales and Hearing Care Services

Hearing aids and hearing healthcare services will no longer be part of Walmart Health’s service offerings. Beginning August 26, 2023, the company will close its hearing care services in its Walmart Health division.

“Walmart Heath consistently takes a measured approach that will factor in the unique needs of the communities we serve, and we look forward to continuing to learn how best to deliver the integrated quality care patients want and deserve,” said Raven Washabaugh, senior manager of global communications–corporate affairs, in response to an email from HearingTracker. “Beginning in August, we are changing the way hearing services will be delivered. As of August 26, 2023, hearing services will no longer be part of the Walmart Health service mix.”

It appears Walmart will continue to offer over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids and hearing-related products on their shelves and through Walmart.com.

Walmart Health is not a major distributor of prescription hearing aids, having only 32 centers in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Texas. But Walmart Health is expanding with plans for nearly 80 centers in seven states by the end of 2024. It will start with opening 10 new locations in Dallas, 8 in Houston, 6 in Phoenix, and 4 in Kansas City in the first quarter of 2024, according to a recent news release. These new facilities will be approximately 5,750 square feet, located inside Walmart Supercenters, and will “feature a full suite of health services providing services that include primary care, dental care, behavioral health, labs and X-ray, and Walmart Health Virtual Care telehealth services.”

In contrast to Walmart Health, the company's wholesale membership sister company, Sam’s Club, does have a significant hearing aid market presence. Sam’s Club hearing aids are offered in both professionally dispensed prescription and OTC hearing aid models in its approximately 450 Lucid Hearing Aid Centers throughout the United States.

Launched in 2019, Walmart Health is designed to provide key health center services for local customers with transparent pricing, regardless of insurance status. According to the company, it is committed to making healthcare more accessible, convenient, and affordable for customers in the communities it serves.