Walmart plans to offer Novo's Ozempic and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro without charge for employees with Type 2 diabetes, subject to a new prior authorization. The company still will not cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, a position shared by many large employers that have recently dropped such coverage. The announcement was made weeks before the close of open enrollment on Nov. 6.
The benefit changes build on Walmart's efforts to improve compensation after past criticism of its wages and healthcare benefits. Walmart employs about 2.1 million people worldwide, with roughly 1.6 million based in the U.S. as of the end of fiscal year 2026.
According to a letter to workers from chief people officer Donna Morris, Walmart is also expanding an existing benefit that pays for employees to see cancer specialists at the Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic. Starting next year, employees under most plans can use that benefit to get a second opinion for rare conditions such as ALS, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's.
Other additions include up to 12 weeks of neonatal intensive care unit leave for parents, which can be added to regular parental and maternity leave. Walmart said it is minimizing premium increases, raising rates for its starting plan by $1.50 per pay period to $39.80, a smaller increase than last year.