We all share a common goal: to make the best choices for ourselves and our families. Walmart recognizes this. Globally, we offer competitive and equitable compensation and provide more than 1.5 million associates and their dependents with competitively priced health insurance options.

U.S. health plans

We continue to listen to our associates and work to keep costs as low as possible. Like other companies, continually rising health care costs have required us to adjust the cost of our plans. Controlling the cost of coverage isn’t just a challenge for Walmart; it’s a national challenge.

New plan benefits

U.S.: Centers of Excellence

As health care costs continue to rise, we’re strengthening our health benefits with innovative new solutions, like our Centers of Excellence. We expanded our long-standing program that covers transplants at the Mayo Clinic to include treatment for certain heart and spine surgeries at five leading hospital and health systems in the U.S. To further expand this Centers of Excellence program, Walmart is adding hip and knee replacement surgeries at four U.S. hospital systems. Centers of Excellence provide consultations and care covered at 100 percent without deductible or coinsurance, plus travel, lodging and living expenses for the patient and a caregiver. This provides our associates the opportunity for exceptional care at hospitals and medical centers across the country that specialize in heart, spine and transplant care.

In providing this service at no cost to our enrolled associates, we’ve worked with these Centers of Excellence health systems to offer exclusive and unique bundled pricing arrangements for procedures. Through Centers of Excellence, we’re working with health care organizations to collectively share best practices that will allow collaboration around best measures of service, quality and new industry findings in comparison to industry practices.

U.S.: Domestic Partner Benefits

In order to remain competitive in terms of attracting and retaining great talent to our company, Walmart is including same-sex and opposite-sex domestic partners in its 2014 benefit plans in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. This means that Walmart has chosen to offer benefits to an associate’s same- or opposite-sex spouse, or to an unmarried partner, whether of the same or opposite gender. Given the diverse world we live in, a comprehensive package that includes domestic partner benefits appeals to today’s workforce. We operate in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and hundreds of municipalities, and as clarified under the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), each of these states is developing different definitions of marriage, domestic partner and civil union. By developing a single definition for all Walmart associates in the U.S., we’re able to enhance consistency for associates throughout the country.

U.S.: Vision insurance

Our associates have asked for vision coverage, and, with our significant workforce base, Walmart is able to offer this and negotiate a rate that’s less than associates are paying out of pocket today. Vision coverage is offered to all associates, including full-time, part-time and seasonal associates. The plan offers quality care, beginning with an eye exam for as low as $10 that includes screening for vision problems and other health conditions. The plan also covers lenses, frames and contacts, with copays for many services starting as low as $10.

U.S.: Castlight

We’ve consistently believed there’s a need to make the cost and quality of health care transparent. The importance of this step was underscored by the release of wildly varying hospital prices from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In an effort to achieve transparency, Walmart is offering Castlight free for associates enrolled in the HRA or HSA plans. Castlight provides straightforward information about the quality of a doctor or facility and how much their services cost before you visit. Associates can search and compare doctors and services based on cost and quality reviews to decide what works best for them and their family.

International Benefits

Canada: Just Ask program

To help associates take control of their health, paramedical coverage has been enhanced to include registered dietitians and Walmart pharmacists. The Just Ask program offers personal, confidential consultation including:

• Comprehensive education related to specific health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma
• Answers to questions about medications and self-care
• Follow-up management of a condition
• Personalized review of all medications, including prescriptions and over-the-counter medications
• One-on-one training on home health care products, such as blood glucose meters and asthma spacers
• Smoking cessation education and support

Mexico: Health and wellness initiatives

Walmart Mexico is collaborating with the Mayo Clinic to offer and promote health and wellness initiatives that motivate our associates to be informed and choose a healthy lifestyle. Highlights include:

• E-cards for all associates on a biweekly basis
• Weekly e-messages on simple, healthy habits that associates can adopt
• Bimonthly newsletter about important health and wellness updates
• E-guide on how to live healthier
• Bimonthly communications regarding seasonal topics and World Health Days
• Live Healthier posters to be displayed in all stores

Additionally, Walmart Mexico has partnered with the Instituto Mexicano de Seguridad Social (IMSS) to utilize our communication platforms, including Walmart TV and our website, to provide all associates with valuable information regarding how to help prevent certain health conditions such as diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Financial benefits for U.S. associates

Financial benefits for our eligible full-time and part-time U.S. associates include 401(k), bonus incentives and stock purchase plans. We match contributions made to the Walmart 401(k) Plan dollar-for-dollar up to 6 percent of annual pay, as well as to the Associate Stock Purchase Plan by matching up to 15 percent of the first $1,800 purchased each plan year. Associates who choose to invest in the custom-designed target date funds have access to professional money management with fees as low as 0.32 percent.

Associate discounts

In 12 countries, we provide a discount program for full-time and part-time associates on purchases in our stores, ranging from 5 to 10 percent. Discounted categories vary from country to country, and some provide additional discounts during the holidays. For example, over the past five years, we have provided U.S. associates a 10 percent discount on all products during the Christmas holidays. To align with our commitment to healthier living, our U.S. associates also receive a 10 percent discount year-round on fresh fruits and vegetables, in addition to most general merchandise within the stores. Additionally, hourly store associates who worked the Black Friday event received a 25 percent discount opportunity.