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Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Walmart makes major change to help older Americans
Walmart has announced a new partnership with Medicare Advantage to help elderly Americans maximize their benefits. Walmart, the largest grocery chain in the US, announced that Americans on Medicare Advantage care - a form of health insurance for over 65s provided by private insurers - will now be able to plug in their benefit card information to their online Walmart accounts. This will allow shoppers to see which items sold by Walmart are eligible for coverage or discounts under their program. Many Medicare Advantage programs offer supplemental benefits that cover wellness products or over-the-counter medications. While the products covered varies by each individual plan, the types of items likely to be available include vitamins and weight management supplements. Around two-thirds of Americans on Medicare Advantage programs don't use their over-the-counter benefits, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association. This is largely because they are not aware of which products are covered by their plans. Under the new Walmart program, consumers will see a 'benefit program eligible' icon appear over products that are covered by their specific plan. Centrum 50 Plus Multivitamin $7.99 Products, including vitamins from leading brands, may be available under your plan. Shop For those that prefer to shop in store, eligible products will show up with the same icon when scanned in the app. A tracker will also be available in seniors' Walmart account which shows how much of their benefits they have left to spend. The pilot will allow users to 'track their benefits spending in real time and check out with a mixed basket of healthy food, over the counter (OTC) products and general merchandise for same-day pickup or delivery in as soon as an hour,' Walmart said in a statement. 'We saw an opportunity to streamline the health benefits shopping journey, make it easier for customers to discover eligible items and offer convenient pickup and delivery options that fit their busy schedule,' Walmart's Ralph Clare said of the initiative. As part of the program Walmart is also launching a new platform for benefit providers, Walmart Everyday Health Signals. The platform will allow providers such as Medicare Advantage programs to integrate directly with Walmart. Together the pooled information will give 'AI-enabled guidance that empowers participating customers to make health-conscious choices,' Walmart wrote on its website. However, critics have already hit out at Walmart's use of AI in shopping basket scanners at its Sam's Club warehouses. Consumers will see a 'benefit program eligible' icon appear over eligible products The new technology allows customers to walk straight out of the store without going through a checkout. The move is controversial because it uses a network of cameras and sensors to track shoppers and their carts. In addition, the checkout-free experience requires all customers to use a smartphone and download the store's app. This could pose a challenge to older shoppers who may struggle with technology.
Miami Herald
29-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Walmart links healthcare with grocery shopping
Dive Brief: Walmart announced Wednesday new tools to help Medicare Advantage members find items that qualify for their over-the-counter can add their benefit cards to their virtual Walmart wallets to access a digital experience that includes a product badge and search filter to identify which items are eligible for benefits. When shopping in stores, the badge will appear when people scan eligible items' barcodes with the Walmart app. Walmart also rolled out Wednesday a new AI-powered digital platform called Everyday Health Signals that gives personalized nutrition guidance to Medicare Advantage members who opt in. Dive Insight: Walmart's latest rollout comes at a time when retailers are adding ways to make it easier for people to combine their healthcare benefits with grocery shopping. Walmart positioned the new tools as ways to help customers who participate in Medicare Advantage plans avoid wasting their OTC benefits, citing research from the Consumer Healthcare Products Association showing that nearly two-thirds of Medicare Advantage members don't use that component of their plans. The retailer is looking to tap into the billions of dollars worth of benefits Medicare Advantage members annually forfeit and encourage shoppers who might be using their benefits elsewhere to bring that spending to Walmart. Walmart said the rollout of the tools will launch with supplemental benefits provider NationsBenefits. The retailer's "benefits program eligible" badge appears on a wide variety of over-the-counter, food and wellness products such as meal replacement shakes, ground coffee, vitamins, and cold and flu medication. Customers can also access a tracker that lets them monitor their unused benefits. Walmart said the Everyday Health Signals platform can "enhance" the well-being of Medicare Advantage customers by providing information that can help them make healthier choices. By analyzing their Walmart purchases, the AI-powered tool can provide the customer with a nutrition analysis and shopping lists. Walmart said that it is expanding the Everyday Health Signals platform to additional health plans and benefits managers. The retailer noted in the announcement that it is in a prime position to help customers marry their health and wellness needs with shopping, given that the company has data on 145 million weekly customers online and in-store. "We saw an opportunity to streamline the health benefits shopping journey, make it easier for customers to discover eligible items and offer convenient pickup and delivery options that fit their busy schedule," Ralph Clare, Walmart U.S.'s senior vice president, health and wellness merchandising, said in a statement. Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Common Allergy and Sleep Aid May Be Quietly Raising Your Dementia Risk
If you've ever reached for a quick fix for allergies, a cold, or a sleepless night, chances are you've taken diphenhydramine. It's the active ingredient in well-known over-the-counter meds like Benadryl, Tylenol PM, and many generic nighttime formulas. But National Geographic reported that scientists say prolonged use could come with serious cognitive consequences. Diphenhydramine is one of the most widely used first-generation antihistamines. It's been FDA-approved since 1946 and remains a go-to remedy for everything from seasonal allergies to insomnia. But newer research warns that long-term, daily use may increase your risk for developing dementia or other neurodegenerative conditions. 'Taking diphenhydramine is not without risk, especially as the duration of use increases,' says Dr. Sayantani Sindher, a pediatrician and allergist at Stanford Health Care. Alongside cognitive decline, extended use of the drug has been linked to weight gain, memory problems, and poor sleep quality. Some users also experience anxiety, confusion, or slower reaction times—even when taking recommended doses. The problem isn't just the drug's pharmacology but also its pervasiveness. Diphenhydramine shows up in everything from allergy meds and sleep aids to cold and flu treatments, often without users realizing how much they're taking. 'It's one of the most commonly abused medications in the United States,' says Sindher. According to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, these medications 'are not intended for long-term use,' and responsible dosing is critical. But for millions of Americans dealing with chronic symptoms, dipping into the medicine cabinet becomes routine, and that's where the risk creeps in. Earlier this year, The World Allergy Organization Journal declared that diphenhydramine is at the end of its life cycle. It suggested that the drug no longer be available over the counter. With safer, non-sedating antihistamines now widely available, doctors suggest reconsidering what's in your daily rotation. Because when it comes to brain health, long-term convenience may not be worth the cost.
