Wal-Mart Cuts Health Care Benefits While Increasing Premiums!

[Better Believe It]

Wal-Mart Cuts Some Health Care Benefits
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE and REED ABELSON
October 20, 2011

After trying to mollify its critics in recent years by offering better health care benefits to its employees, Wal-Mart is substantially rolling back coverage for part-time workers and significantly raising premiums for many full-time staff.

Citing rising costs, Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private employer, told its employees this week that all future part-time employees who work less than 24 hours a week on average will no longer qualify for any of the company’s health insurance plans.

In addition, any new employees who average 24 hours to 33 hours a week will no longer be able to include a spouse as part of their health care plan, although children can still be covered.

In Wal-Mart’s 2012 health offerings, premiums will increase for some plans by more than 40 percent, although many of their workers pay relatively low premiums in comparison to more generous plans offered by other employers. But many Wal-Mart employees complain that their low premiums are accompanied by high deductibles that sometimes exceed 20 percent of their annual pay.

Read the full article at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/21/business/wal-mart-cuts-some-health-care-benefits.html?_r=2&ref=business



Walmart Associates:

We are an organization of Associates, for Associates, working together to help make Walmart a better place to work.

It’s an Organization United for Respect at Walmart – OUR Walmart – and we hope you’ll consider joining us today.

Associates from across the country are joining OUR Walmart to work for better wages, hours, and working conditions – and most importantly, for respect.

We know that only by standing together, within and across stores throughout the country, can we make things better and have the ability to make a change.



Visit the website at:

http://forrespect.org/speak-week/lp1/

[SharonAnn]

1. I agree that they're scum, but read this section.

"Tammy Yancey, a $9.50-an-hour gas attendant at a Sam’s Club in Pinellas Park , Fla., complained that she would no longer be able to afford health insurance from the company. Ms. Yancey, a smoker, said her premiums would jump to $127.90 every two weeks — or $3,325 a year — up from $53.80 at present, when she earns $12,000 a year from her job.
Related

“I won’t be able to afford the insurance,” she said. “And I really can’t go without insurance because I have a heart problem.”

-----------------

I understand her concern about the money, but it's her behavior that is driving the cost. Sorry, but if you have a heart problem then your doctor has already told you to QUIT SMOKING! It's a huge risk factor and causes all kinds of cardiovascular problems.

Normally, I wouldn't get this incensed but for Pete's sake! If she's adding to her health care costs, which she is, then she needs to pay for it. Maybe that will get her to quit smoking and that might save her life.

And I quit smoking after more than 20 years and I know it's not easy. But it can be done.

[Better Believe It]

6. But that's not the reason why Wal-Mart increased their premiums and cut benefits.

They are a cheap anti-labor employer and are in business for one purpose only .... making as much profit as possible by cutting labor costs whenever possible.

Let's not make any excuses for their low wages, reduced benefits and general hostility to their workforce.

Would it also be OK if they increased premiums for people who are "overweight", meat eaters, people who smoke pot, workers who don't excercise at home or at gyms, etc.,

I bet that top management people who smoke, drink and are obese have a better health insurance plan with lower premiums and co-pays than the Wal-Mart employees who do the actual work at the stores and distribution centers!

[Ruby the Liberal]

11. Had she been purchasing private insurance I would agree with you, but

Employer insurance is group/risk assessed. Her rates didn't go up because she smokes. Her rates went up because everyones rates went up and Walmart agreed to these hikes in their negotiations rather than pay more to keep rates down.

Now, does Walmart have a higher % of smokers being that they barely pay minimum wage, and minimum wage earners are statistically more likely to have poor eating habits and smoke?

Egg, chicken.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Wind Dancer]

3. Walmart is shameful!

Hate the place!

[Rene Descartes]

4. It's happening everywhere...

Don't you just love it when our legislators come together to do something good for the People?

In any case, it's par for the course. The government always under-estimates the costs and over-estimates the savings that legislation will effect.

[ChandlerJr]

5. I would be more outraged if my government wasn't eating up most of

the SS COLA increase with an increase in Medicare premiums next year.

Granted I still remember when SS was called supplemental and have provided for our own retirement but many didn't or have seen their private benefits eroded to the point that SS is going to be all they have.

[OHdem10]

7. Just about every Insurance Company, Drug Company, Hospital Assoc

Medical Equipment Company is listed on a Stock Exchange.

This means they are subject to Wall St. Practices.

Therefore, every 3months( quarter)these companies like all
other members must submit their financial statements for
review to the Ratings Agencies. It is expected that they
SHOW EARNINGS and PROFITS. We know Companies do everything
in their power from being rated downward. This is a no no.
Therefore they must show a profit every quarter or at least
have proof they will turn it around the next quarter.

Insurance Companies have essentially 2 ways of showing profits.
They either raise premiums or cut services, deny services.
In times like these, they are losing more customers with
people being laid off or fired than gaining customers.
No growing economy means no or very few people signing
up for insurance. It means raise premiums or deny servicws.

This goes on throughout the Health Industry. Hospital costs
rise. Pharmaceuiticals cost more, you name it .

Not defending WalMart, but for Profit Health Care creates
by its nature, problems for every one.

[HereSince1628]

8. Getting there and staying there by trodding on the backs of labor

is a longstanding tradition in feudal systems.

[qb]

9. The State of Minnesota is threatening to do the same to its employees.

For-profit health care is killing us.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. Whats the latest on the % of Walmart employees who are on assistance

(food stamps, section 8 housing, medicaid)

[Better Believe It]

13. I haven't seen any update on that stat.

[Romulox]

12. "Free trade" supporters need to think about he conditions under which Walmart crap is made

:shrug:

[Better Believe It]

14. For the DU weekend crew