The breakdown
Walmart is making major moves for its U.S. workforce in 2027. As the nation’s largest private employer—with roughly 1.6 million domestic associates—the company confirmed it will cover over 250 prescriptions at zero cost to employees. This includes essential items like insulin and inhalers. For the 1.6 million U.S. workers, this is a massive W, especially while other companies are lowkey slashing benefits to combat rising healthcare costs.
The GLP-1 reality check
Real talk: if you were hoping to use this to score weight-loss meds, the vibes are off. While Walmart is covering Novo’s Ozempic and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro specifically for those with Type 2 diabetes (following a new prior authorization), they are not covering these GLP-1s for weight loss. Like many other big employers, Walmart is keeping that coverage restricted to manage costs.
More than just meds
Beyond the pharmacy counter, Walmart is expanding its "Center of Excellence" benefits. Employees on most plans can now get second opinions from specialists at the Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic for rare conditions like ALS, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis. They’re also adding up to 12 weeks of paid leave for parents of babies in the NICU, which stacks on top of existing maternity and parental leave.
Money-wise, the company is keeping premium hikes relatively chill. Starting rates for their entry-level plan are only increasing by $1.50 per pay period, bringing the cost to $39.80. According to Donna Morris, Walmart’s chief people officer, this is a smaller hike than last year.
Why it matters
In a job market where employee retention is everything, Walmart is trying to secure the bag by keeping its staff healthy without nuking their paychecks. By avoiding massive premium spikes while expanding specialized care, they’re betting that these perks will keep their massive workforce locked in.
