Walmart announced an expansion of its employee benefits package effective in 2027, including coverage for more than 250 prescription medications at no cost to workers. The coverage includes specific insulin formulations, certain inhaler medications, and GLP-1 treatments for Type 2 diabetes management. The company confirmed the changes to CNBC, noting that employees will have access to Novo’s Ozempic and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro without charge following a new prior authorization process.
The retailer emphasized that it is limiting premium increases for employees, with the starting plan rate rising by $1.50 per pay period to $39.80—characterized as a smaller increase than the previous year. The benefit expansion comes as Walmart seeks to attract and retain workforce amid broader healthcare cost pressures across the employment landscape. Many major employers have responded to rising healthcare expenses by implementing higher prices and reducing plan benefits, making Walmart’s approach notable within the competitive labor market.
The company clarified that while it covers GLP-1 medications for Type 2 diabetes treatment, it does not extend coverage to the same medications when prescribed for weight loss purposes. This stance aligns with policies at other large employers, which have similarly declined to cover obesity-related uses of these medications or have discontinued such coverage to manage healthcare expenditures.
Additional benefits being introduced include an extension of an existing cancer specialist consultation program to cover second opinions for rare conditions including ALS, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease at facilities like the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. The company is also adding up to 12 weeks of neonatal intensive care unit leave, which employees can utilize in addition to standard parental and maternity leave.
Walmart, the largest private employer in the United States with approximately 1.6 million workers domestically, characterized the changes as part of a long-term strategy to enhance employee compensation. The announcement precedes the close of open enrollment for employees on November 6.
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