Walmart has appointed Dijuana Lewis senior vice president of health care solutions for its flagship Walmart U.S. division.

The discount store giant said Lewis, a former WellPoint Inc. executive, will call on her extensive experience in the health care industry to drive growth and profitability in Walmart's health and wellness business.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has appointed Dijuana Lewis senior vice president of health care solutions for its flagship Walmart U.S. division.

Walmart has appointed Dijuana Lewis senior vice president of health care solutions for its flagship Walmart U.S. division.

The discount store giant said Thursday that Lewis will call on her extensive experience in the health care industry to drive growth and profitability in Walmart’s health and wellness business.

Most recently, she served as the president and chief executive officer of the Comprehensive Health Solutions Business Unit at WellPoint Inc., a health benefits company.

Specifically, Leiws will oversee the development of innovative product and service offerings in collaboration with and for payors in the health care industry, according to Walmart.

Her team will also be responsible for expanding the retailer’s pharmacy and optical contract programs, as well as for reducing the cost of and expanding access to health care coverage, the discount chain said.

Dijuana Lewis

During her 16 years at Wellpoint, Lewis held a variety of executive positions and played a key role in the health insurer’s 2009 deal to sell its pharmacy benefit management unit, NextRx.

Lewis will report to John Agwunobi, senior vice president of health and wellness for Walmart U.S.

“Dijuana’s experience developing innovative health solutions, marketing and product development, and provider contracting and relations will help strengthen Walmart’s position as an everyday low-cost provider of health care solutions,” Agwunobi said in a memo to Walmart associates.

Lewis left Wellpoint in October in a mutually agreed-upon deal that provided her with a generous severance package in exchange for agreeing to stay on for two months to help her successor.