Not quite sure what to make of this...

I don't think the average walmart shopper lacks an interest in acupuncture per say.  Many walmarts are located in areas where there is very limited access to acupuncture--let's say rural nebraska, but certainly the people who live in Oxnard, CA--40 miles from Santa Barbara, have at least heard of acupuncture, and there are at least a dozen practitioners in that city.  Equating walmart with a population that doesn't want or care about acupuncture is far off the mark.  CAPs that are doing well and succeeding in areas like Hawaii, Boston, Philly (where there are plenty walmarts) need to serve as models, support and inspiration to acupunks who want to try CA in less progressive (and less exclusive) places.   One hopeful part of me is glad that more access to health care is being created, but the less idealistic part of me wonders how a corporation, who's main goal is profit (and looking good to generate more profit) will dillute the health-care they deliver.  Yes some care is better than no care, but leaving  basic human services to private corporations can have a lot of negative effects.   For example, smaller family practices and clinics may go under because they cannot compete with walmart or the deals it can make with medical suppliers, pharmaceutical companies.  The propaganda around corporate healthcare is likely to be like the propaganda around corporate "organics" and "green products".  Sure there may be some good coming of these things, but they are married to the desire to capitalize on people's emotions.  I was looking at some green clothing online and they list all the positive environmental aspects of their products... and then the punchline...made in China.  There's gotta be some punchline with this walmart healthcare.  (weren't they just fined for having signs up for selling organic food that wasn't organic?  Do you know that Organic valley milk pulled it's products from walmart's shelves because they were being asked to sell their milk for a  less than  sustainable price?  http://www.inc.com/magazine/20070701/casestudy.html)If I let my cynical side take over, it seems as if the government has let the health-care situation in this country become so dire so that corporations like walmart--dat-da-dah!!-- can step in and "save the day."  What about healthcare where health is the bottom line? What about healthcare where decisions are made in communities rather than boardrooms?  What about healthcare that takes care of the providers, as people, and not just a labor budget.  (will the walmart health employees also be forced to work without overtime pay, be locked in the building? given the option of affordable health insurance?) I want to believe this is a step in a positive direction, but my gut tells me no.   Cris