Costco is selling Medicare plans, but not the kind you take with a glass of water
The warehouse giant is expanding into healthcare, using its trusted brand to sell Medicare plans.
The story
Costco is expanding into healthcare, leveraging its trusted brand to sell Medicare plans, with plans to pilot in select states and potentially expand further.
Source: fortune.com
Our reading
Costco is selling Medicare plans in its warehouses, which is the kind of thing that makes you wonder if the company is trying to replace your doctor or just your local pharmacy. It’s not like they’re offering a discount on your annual physical, but they are selling the same kind of trust you get when you buy a $20,000 Swiss watch.
People trust Costco because it’s the place where you can return a toaster from 2015 and still get your money back. Now they’re asking you to trust them with your health insurance, which is a lot more complicated than a toaster. But if you’ve ever walked out of a Costco with a casket and a rotisserie chicken, you know they’re not afraid of big decisions.
So when you walk into a warehouse to pick up a case of toilet paper, you might also be walking out with a Medicare plan. It’s the same store, the same trust, just a different kind of product—though the return policy probably doesn’t cover your annual checkup.
