Wal-Med

"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane," said Martin Luther King, Jr. There is no question that the United States is one of the wealthiest and the most powerful nations in the world. Unfortunately, it also has the most expensive health care system.

At Northeastern, unless one is able to provide proof of alternative coverage, enrolled full-time students are required to purchase health insurance through the school. With its large population of working-class students, it's safe to say that many students simply could not afford basic health insurance otherwise. More than 40 million Americans live without it.

Enter Wal-Mart. As the largest private sector employer in the United States, more than one million workers are employed bythe retail giant. The company faces criticism for failing to provide workers with adequate healthcare, which is oftentimes too expensive for many low-income employees.

Counting on affordability and convenience, Wal-Mart is set to open in-store health clinics across the country. These clinics will be staffed with nurse practitioners and physician assistants who can provide flu shots, physicals, vaccinations, and treat common illnesses like strep throat.

Most services cost less than $50, and the company is working to accept all local insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. Unsurprisingly, doctors are concerned they will lose business. They say relying on health clinics is risky because serious illnesses might fail to be caught in time, which would lead to more expensive treatment in emergency rooms and intensive care units.

In Florida, Wal-Mart began to sell $4 generic prescription drugs. Due to high customer demand, the company is working to expand the successful program to 14 more states. As expected, seniors living on fixed incomes are incredibly grateful for such over-the-counter relief.

Needless to say, other large drug retailers like CVS, Osco, and Walgreens plan to follow suit and open health clinics within their own stores as well. Target store pharmacies have already opened several health clinics and will continue to open more in the near future. It makes sense for these companies to want to cash in on the multi-billion dollar health care industry.

With the ongoing rise in health care costs, these retail giants are providing greatly needed services which may otherwise not be available or affordable for so many. Surely stores like Wal-Mart stand to earn profits from such programs, but patients also benefit as well.

One's basic health care needs need not be a luxury. Bridging the healthcare inequality gap is crucial and necessary, even if it is provided by the largest retail store in the world.