Sam’s Club to Add Healthcare Discounts

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Monday that Sam’s Club, its warehouse members-only division, would offer members discounts on healthcare coverage.

Members can save as much as 50% on services not normally covered by medical insurance, such as laser eye surgery and dental care, Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart said. Sam’s Club will offer the program in partnership with Glendale-based HealthAllies, a division of UnitedHealth Group Inc., the second-biggest U.S. health insurer.

Sam’s Club is providing more services, such as cellphone calling, automobile financing and travel booking, amid competition from Costco Wholesale Corp., the No. 1 warehouse club retailer. Sales at Costco outlets open at least a year have led those of No. 2 Sam’s Club for the last 17 months.

Sam’s Club Plus Members can enroll in the healthcare program for free, and other members will pay a nominal fee to join.

Members who lack health insurance also can use the program for discounts on visits to physicians, said Mark Lindsay, a spokesman for Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth.

Americans spend an average of $675 a year on out-of-pocket medical expenses, according to research by UnitedHealth.

Sam’s Club, which operates 552 locations in the United States, posted a 5.8% same-store sales gain last year, compared with 10% at Costco.

Wal-Mart shares fell 32 cents to $52.78 on the New York Stock Exchange. Before Monday, the stock had fallen 13% in the last year.

UnitedHealth Group’s shares fell $2.09 to $91.20. They had climbed 49% in the last year.