Enhanced benefits package for 2009 includes initiatives to help families stay healthy
BENTONVILLE, Ark., Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
(NYSE: WMT) today said it will continue its push to make healthcare more
accessible and affordable for its Wal-Mart Stores U.S. and Sam's Club
associates by introducing new programs designed to keep them and their
families healthy.
'We have worked hard to provide high-quality, affordable healthcare to our
associates and I think this additional focus on wellness steps us up to a new
level,' said Walmart U.S. President & CEO Eduardo Castro-Wright. 'Over the
past year, our associates have told us they wanted additional help in keeping
themselves and their families healthy, and we have responded with new plans
designed to do just that.'
One new feature of the 2009 plan is 'Life with Baby,' an initiative
designed to give associates and their spouses personalized tools and education
to help them have healthier pregnancies and infants. The comprehensive program
touches on all phases of maternity, beginning with pre-pregnancy and
continuing through pre-natal, postpartum and child care. Throughout the phases,
associates can receive immediate assistance from a registered nurse and
materials tailored toward their individual needs. The plan also includes
expanded benefits, such as four periodontal cleanings to help prevent the risk
posed by gum disease to the mother and baby, and a new smoking cessation
program.
'Wal-Mart's 'Life with Baby' program can be a real game changer because it
provides employees with robust health and wellness offerings before, during
and after pregnancy,' said Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, senior vice president
for Health Affairs and dean, Meharry Medical College, and a licensed
obstetrician and gynecologist. 'About 15,000 Wal-Mart associates have babies
each year and, since every pregnancy is different, having a program that can
be customized for each woman makes a big difference.'
Earlier this year, Wal-Mart announced that 92.7 percent of associates have
health care coverage, including 50.2 percent of associates who have coverage
through Wal-Mart's plan.
At a time when increases in health costs are driving many individuals and
companies to cut back, Wal-Mart is committed to offering benefits choices that
associates and their families can afford and use to stay healthy. For example,
associates who enroll in Wal-Mart's 'Value' or 'Freedom' plans will have
access to additional preventative care coverage before meeting the annual
deductible. This includes wellness offerings such as mammograms, colonoscopies,
flu vaccinations and well-child office visits.
