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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is building on its commitment to associates’ health and well-being with the expansion of the Walmart Cancer Centers of Excellence (COE). The Cancer COE is a collaboration with Mayo Clinic that gives associates diagnosed with cancer access to the cancer experts at Mayo Clinic.
“Receiving a cancer diagnosis can lead to one of the most stressful times in a person’s life – physically, emotionally and financially – and access to specialized medical expertise matters most,” said Kim Lupo, Walmart senior vice president, Global Total Rewards. “The Walmart Cancer Centers of Excellence program gives our associates access to the top cancer specialists in the country at no cost and helps get them on the path to wellness.”
The American Cancer Society projects the United States to exceed two million new cancer cases for the first time this year.
For over a decade, Walmart’s Cancer COE program has helped bridge gaps and provide Walmart associates access to the cancer experts at Mayo Clinic. Before now, the program centered around some of the most prevalent cancers – breast, lung, colon, prostate, pancreatic and blood cancers. By expanding the Cancer COE program, associates and dependents on eligible Walmart medical plans can now access the same great benefit for virtually any cancer.
“We are thrilled to expand our longstanding relationship with Walmart, now providing a Centers of Excellence program for their associates that includes virtually all cancer types,” said Lyell K. Jones, Jr., MD, consultant and professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic and Medical Director of Contracting and Payer Relations. “In working directly with employers like Walmart, we can remove barriers to high-quality care and deliver the best possible outcomes to more patients every day.”
How Walmart’s Cancer COE Program Works
Once a Walmart associate or their eligible dependent has been diagnosed with cancer and has a recommended treatment plan from their local doctor, they can begin the Cancer COE process offered through their eligible Walmart medical plan. Mayo Clinic will review the patient’s medical records, including diagnosis and treatment plan. If the cancer experts at Mayo Clinic can offer new or different treatment options than what is available or offered locally, they will recommend the patient travel to Mayo Clinic. The record review, travel and on-site care at Mayo Clinic come at no cost to the associate. Covered travel includes the cost of airline, hotel and food for the patient and one adult caregiver when traveling to a Mayo Clinic. Deductible and coinsurance apply to cancer care received outside of Mayo Clinic.
“Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our associates and their families,” Lupo said. “While we hope they never have to use the Cancer Centers of Excellence benefit, we want them to feel reassured that, if that moment comes, access to top-quality support is available and accessible.”
For more information about the Walmart Cancer Centers of Excellence program, including eligibility and coverage details, go to one.walmart.com/COE.
