Local Walmarts host annual Wellness Day events

Hundreds of North Idaho residents participated in Walmart Wellness Day last weekend, taking advantage of the free and discounted health services that the retail giant makes available at their locations with pharmacy services. 

Locally, Walmart’s Smelterville, Hayden, and Post Falls locations all hosted Wellness Day events, where customers could receive free health screenings for things like glucose, cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure. As well as affordable immunizations like flu, COVID-19, HPV, mumps, measles, pneumonia, tetanus, HPV, rubella (MMR), varicella (chickenpox/shingles), whooping cough (TDAP), and Hepatitis A and B.

Some locations even offered free vision screenings to go along with other wellness resources and the opportunity to talk with pharmacists. 

In Idaho, access to basic health services is limited, especially for those who fall in the Access Limited Income Constrained Employed (ALICE) category, or below the Federal poverty line (FPL).

ALICE is the official acronym for those families who fall in the financial ‘gap’ – meaning that they make too much money to receive state or Federal aid, but still fall below the line of what is considered middle class. According to the state data, this usually puts families in the difficult position of having to choose between paying for healthcare and health services, or things like groceries, utilities, and childcare. 

According to the most recent data from the State of Idaho, 40% of Shoshone County and 31% of Kootenai County households were considered ALICE, while 15% and 10%, respectively, were considered under the FPL.  

Josh Havens, Walmart's Director of Global Communications for Western U.S., believes that these events are an easy way for the company to help meet people in the middle. 

Many of the services provided during the Wellness Day events are either free or significantly discounted, which makes it easier for those ALICE households to take advantage of the opportunity. 

"Wellness Day is such an impactful event because it provides our customers a reminder to check in on their health priorities and meet with our incredible pharmacists,” Haven told the News-Press after the Wellness Day event. “With more than 4,000 Walmart stores in rural and medically underserved communities, our Walmart pharmacies are in a unique position to provide quality, affordable health and wellness services where our neighbors already shop. In many communities, our health and wellness associates are the most accessible healthcare providers for busy families, and they’re trusted because they live and work in these communities, too."

Since 2014, Walmart pharmacies have hosted Walmart Wellness Days, contributing more than 5 million free health screenings for customers.

“The community response and turnout for the January 20, 2024, Wellness Day was very positive, and the leading service provided was immunizations, which is not surprising given its cold and flu season,” Haven said.