Walmart, The High Cost of Healthcare
Racy Estinson
EC 356 – Applied Economic Principles
November 4th, 2014
Whitworth University, Instructor – Eric Sartell
Walmart, The High Cost of Healthcare
Walmart Stores, Inc., the nation’s largest retailer, is making headlines again for cutting employee healthcare for part-time workers. The company recently announced that it will be cutting healthcare benefits for its employees working less than an average of 30 hours a week, which equates to around 30,000 people. Not so long ago, they cut healthcare benefits for employees working less than an average of 24 hours a week. It is hard to imagine that a single company can have an effect on our economy but the impact they will have by cutting
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They have also announced that they are adding healthcare clinics in many of their stores as well as a place where people can come in and learn more about the exchange and get enrolled. Halzack (2014) tells us this “Wal-Mart’s expansion of its health and wellness offerings comes as the company is facing flat comparable store sales and slower foot traffic in its U.S stores” (para. 12). The hope here is that these people will also do their regular retail shopping while in the store, which will help increase sales. Inevitably, Walmart will also gain a fair share of retail healthcare customer from their own employees. At some point, though, the already financially struggling Walmart employee will be making smaller and less frequent purchases as their income becomes more limited by the benefit cut. Economically, this becomes a shift to the left for Walmart. It maybe a short-term win, but will most likely have a long-term negative …show more content…
Consumption levels off, or decreases as people make sacrifices and will afford only what is necessary. The taxes we will incur will be woven into our daily lives, without a word, but not without notice. We will get used to it, but the bounce back gets a little slower and harder each time. If Walmart were willing to take on some of that responsibility that they were so adamant about everyone being a part of, they would have a better chance at increasing sales nation-wide from those of us whom they have burdened with their lack of