It looks like a KMart.

Not bad...but is the smell gone?

There was  no smell in the store.
I road in the back of the store on Patton Drive and noticed that all of the dead trees are also gone. I don't know if they will be replaced or not but they are really gone!

http://www.nytimes.com

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Health Plan Overhauled at Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart says its coverage will offer its workers more low-cost generic drugs than are available to its pharmacy customers.

By MICHAEL BARBARO
Published: September 19, 2007
Wal-Mart, long criticized for its health care coverage, unveiled a broad plan yesterday that is intended to cut employee costs, expand coverage and offer workers thousands of cheap prescription drugs.

Starting Jan. 1, Wal-Mart’s insurance will look a lot like that offered by many other American companies, but with some twists that even longtime critics described as innovative. Independent experts praised several features of the plan and said it could represent a turning point for the retailer, the nation’s largest private employer.

“On face value, this looks like a very significant change and improvement,” said Ron Pollack, president of Families USA, a health care advocacy group in Washington that has been critical of Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart said it would give each employee or family that signs up for coverage a grant of $100 to $500 to defray health expenses while charging premiums as low as $5 a month. It will eliminate expensive hospital deductibles and make 2,400 generic drugs available to employees for $4 a prescription — about 2,000 more than it sells to customers at that price.

The plans with the lowest premiums would still charge annual deductibles as high as $2,000 — typical for American corporate health plans, but perhaps steep for Wal-Mart employees, many of whom work part time and earn less than $20,000 a year. And the company’s plans have other limitations, including waiting periods as long as a year for new employees.

Wal-Mart Watch, a group long critical of the company, said yesterday that “these plans are still unaffordable due to low wages or inaccessible due to waiting periods.”

It is unclear how many of the 125,000 Wal-Mart workers without health coverage would sign up. But industry analysts said the program represented an upgrade for the 636,000 employees who already receive health insurance through Wal-Mart. They said it could force the company’s discount-retailing competitors to offer more generous plans for their own workers.

Helen Darling, president of the National Business Group on Health and a former benefits consultant, called it “a very good plan,” saying that “parts of it, like the $4 generics, are game-changing for the industry.”

Mr. Pollack and others noted, though, that they had yet to see the fine print of the new program.

Wal-Mart has long been held up to ridicule for its health care programs.

Two years ago, the Maryland legislature took the unusual step of requiring Wal-Mart — and only Wal-Mart — to increase spending on health insurance. The law was later overturned.

Even before yesterday’s announcement, Wal-Mart had taken some steps to answer critics. It allowed part-time employees to enroll their children in the company’s insurance program, reduced the waiting period before a new part-time employee was eligible for benefits to one year from two, and created plans with premiums as low as $11 a month.

But critics contended that the company had not done enough, pointing to the still high deductibles and lengthy waiting periods.

The new program, for which workers can sign up starting this month, offers 50 ways to customize coverage, with varying trade-offs like higher premiums and lower deductibles.

In one plan, for example, an employee would pay premiums up to $79 a month, receive a health care credit of $100 and pay a deductible of $500. In another, the employee would pay premiums of $8 a month, receive a $100 health care credit, but pay a deductible of $2,000. Though many generic drugs will be available for $4, brand-name drugs will cost $30 to $50.

In an interview, Wal-Mart’s executive vice president for benefits, Linda M. Dillman, said the company hoped to persuade those workers without health coverage to sign up for it. About half of Wal-Mart workers have coverage from the company, while 40 percent more get their coverage elsewhere — through a spouse, a parent, a second job or a state program like Medicaid. About 10 percent have no health coverage.

“We are removing any barriers of entry” to the company’s health care plan, Ms. Dillman said. “When you are talking about $8 a month and a $100 health care credit, why would you not sign up?”

She said the program emphasized preventive care, paid for by the company before a deductible kicked in. Health care credits, for example, would make it possible for employees to see doctors and buy prescription drugs without paying anything out of pocket.

“If they need to seek care, they will do it, not forgo it,” Ms. Dillman said.

Wow Wally World is finally doing the right thing.

Regarding the insurance

Quoted Text

“We are removing any barriers of entry” to the company’s health care plan, Ms. Dillman said. “When you are talking about $8 a month and a $100 health care credit, why would you not sign up?”

$5 a month but you have to foot the bill for the first $2,000 of expenses!  FOR SHAME ON WALMART!  Come on, they are probably the wealthiest company around but won't cover employees children, instead forcing us to pay higher taxes to cover the employees' children.  Incomes less than $20,000 and Walmart proclaims improvements to their insurance thinking people making less than $20,000 have enough income to pay that.  Look around here, look at the rents, at typically $700 a month, a Walmart employee would pay close to 50% of their income on housing alone

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There were also many executives there helping with the remodel. And there also were associates everywhere. Not many shoppers, though. So here are some pictures.

Not many shoppers, well it's past the half way point in the month, the welfare money is gone.  The working people are probably shopping where there is more quality goods.

I think the picturetakers usually go in as the store is opening, not exactly the peak businessstime for Wally World.  They usually let the people get home from their jobs before they come out in droves demanding "low prices" and low quality.

OOOOHHHHH,,,,just what the workers want CHEAP DRUGS....... dont we all.....I prefer the coffee and wine versions......

I am obviously NOT a fan of walmart, but can I also say that Walmart is not the only large corporation that does  not pay great benefits. Has anyone looked into Kmart or Target, Boscovs, JC Penny, Macy's or those of the same? I would like to see a comparison.And anyways, Walmart is waiting for Universal Health care to kick in...then all of their health care issues will be solved.

This certainly cant be new to anyone.  All those jobs were for the kids in high school or college. Retail pays crap and the kids make more $ doing other things in less time......not to mention the "I dont want to start there." "I dont make enough." "My kid isn't going to have one of those jobs."

Every large company today is trying to cut the health care coverage of no only their employees but also their retirees too. The costs of health care has risen so much that the issue comes up at every contract negotiation.

After working in the Nursing home environment for 12 years....I have conversations with my residents....they all say "I never went to the doctor. I never took medicine like this. I have never even taken an asprin or a tylenol." ....what are we doing different now?? what is the problem?? what is causing our sicknesses??.....these folks are not young they are OLD---80 and above....even over 100......

so who are the people living longer because of medicine.....those treated for an emergency......preventative health is personal choice and a persons responsibility to learn about their bodies, nutrition etc---if that is important to you....I know OLD folks that dont even know the names of some body parts and how they work....they still never took drugs or went to a doctor unless it was an emergency.....

we will come to a point that we will have to decide what is 'health care' and what is 'health insurance'---these are 2 different animals....

insurance has a limit national or personal-who dies, who gets certain meds, where and how many medical professionals choose to live etc.....dont think walmart or any other corp wont be seeking these lucrative government contracts.....

the government doesn't care it just redistributes the insurance $$ and adds a HUGE layer of beaurocracy/papers....I know--I fill the freakin' things out as I get paid by the hour to do while taking care of my patients in between the paragraphs and fill in the blanks......

I have relataives that have retired from 'public sector jobs' with full health benefits. I swear they go to the doctors every single week. And ya know why? This is just what they say.."Well why not, the insurance pays".

I also have friends that work for the state. The state allows each employee 1 pair of glasses/year. And ya know what? They get them EVEN IF THEY DON'T NEED THEM! Some get them for fashion, believe it or not. And ya know what they say?..."Well why not, the insurance is paying".

And some of this 'preventative' BS is rediculous. Not 'all' just some. For God's sake, we can't prevent EVERYTHING! I mean we ARE going to die someday. And no matter how well our bodies are preserved, our mind still goes. So what the heck?

My health care coverage doesn't cover preventative treatment only actual illnesses. It doesn't cover me now in retirement for my yearly physical which I need in order to keep getting my medications and it cost me $300 every year out of pocket.