Costco: Home of the Dollar Fifty Hot Dog... and Your Doctor?

Throughout my entire existence, I have relied on Costco for the "bulk" of the services and products I need: from a cheap, and might I add, delicious hot dog; camping gear; vision care; and so much more. Costco had all the bases covered... or so we thought.

Costco has entered the healthcare space.

Costco’s foray into the healthcare industry is a game-changer and will revolutionize how we access and experience medical care. With their track record of providing quality products and services at unbeatable prices, it comes as no surprise that they’ve expanded their portfolio.

As a Costco member, you now have access to virtual primary care appointments, online mental health appointments, and health checks with a standard lab panel for cheap! $29 dollars for a primary care visit is just $9 more than a lot of co-pays, and the appointment availability and wait times are significantly better. I might be willing to shell out the extra cash for that convenience, and so might other consumers.

Costco is partnering with Sesame, a company on a mission to eliminate the pain points involved in high health insurance deductibles or the stress of not having health insurance at all. Sesame is a first-ever healthcare system that makes healthcare more accessible to all consumers. In their model, they are connecting providers across the country and aim to provide care for half the price of traditional healthcare: no third-party fees, mile-high deductibles, or long wait times. You might even see the same doctor who would treat you through insurance plans for half the price.

At MDRG, we’ve been closely following this paradigm shift toward retail primary care. The disruption by brands like Costco, CVS, and Best Buy are transforming traditional healthcare. To help us better understand and quantify this transformation, we’ve developed the HX Index, which assesses how health systems measure up against these retail giants.

Our preliminary findings are now available, and they indicate that retail healthcare is here to stay. As consumers increasingly seek convenience, affordability, and transparency in their experiences, brands like Costco are poised to lead the charge. It is an exciting time for the industry, and we are eager to continue our research. Our full report will be out in late 2023.

Stay tuned, and contact us to see how your healthcare business might be impacted!