2-23-2006
Wal-Mart Offers Improved Health Benefits Reluctantly
BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., under attack for its health care coverage for its employees, plans improvements that would include expanding the availability of its lowest cost plan and shortening the waiting periods to enroll part-time workers and their children.
At the same time, Wal-Mart Chief Executive Lee Scott said Thursday that employers cannot continue to meet the rising costs of health care
Scott is also expected to renew Wal-Mart's criticism of bills filed in at least 22 states that would force the retailer to spend more on health care. Maryland has become the first state in the nation to require Wal-Mart to spend more on employee health care or pay the difference into the state's Medicaid fund. The Retail Industry Leaders Association has challenged the law in court.
"The soaring cost of health care in America cannot be sustained over the long term by any business that offers health benefits to its employees," Scott said in a statement released ahead of the speech to the National Governors Association.
Wake Up Wal-Mart, one of Wal-Mart's harshest critics, called the retailer's attempts to improve its health care plan as "nothing more than a facade."
"Wal-Mart's proposed changes are clearly designed to try and salvage a faltering public image, rather than make substantial changes to improve health care benefits for its employees," said Paul Blank, campaign director for Wake Up Wal-Mart in a statement.
In fact, the labor-backed group released a report Thursday that showed the health care issue at Wal-Mart is getting worse ? Wal-Mart failed to provide health coverage to over 57 percent of its employees last year, up from 52 percent the previous year.
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So sad
I'm sure if Wally World had it's way that employees would be executed if they got sick.
Just like the mud pits for making bricks back in the Egyptian days. Enjoy