Getting your health care at Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart wants to get into the health care business:

Americans can increasingly get basic medical care in the same place they buy toothpaste and light bulbs.

In a development that has broad implications for the nation's primary-care system, a rising number of major pharmacy and retail chains -- including CVS Corp., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp. -- are opening in-store health clinics. They offer patients fast access to routine medical services such as strep-throat tests, sports physicals and flu shots. The clinics, which typically charge between $25 and $60 per visit, don't require an appointment and are open during pharmacy hours including evenings and weekends. To keep costs down, they are staffed by nurse practitioners, who can legally treat patients and write prescriptions in most states.

Competition.Too bad NYC doesn't have a Wal-Mart.