A previously secret internal Wal-Mart memo (but published today’s New York Times) reveals the embarrassing and reprehensible Wal-Mart plans to cut worker health insurance costs, affecting 900,000 current employees, particularly the sicker ones. The memo, “Reviewing and Revising Wal-Mart’s Benefits Strategy”, says “While critics have not yet harnessed all of these facts, they are successfully exploiting those they do have, suggesting that, when discovered, the others will also become effective ammunition.” Here’s the “effective ammunition” against Wal-Mart from their secret memo:

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/business/26walMart.pdf

The purpose of Wal-Mart’s new plan is to “help deflate our critics,” (p. 17) and “reframe public perception of our healthcare offering,” (p. 16) because “Our healthcare offering is also vulnerable to attack” (p. 7) “Wal-Mart is under serious attack from state governments with regard to the number of our associates on publicly funded heath insurance. (p. 15). “We have a significant number of Associates and their children who receive health insurance from public assistance programs.” “Forty-six percent of Associates children are either on Medicaid or are uninsured.” (p. Wal-Mart insures 20 percent less of its employers “than other national employers”, “48 percent vs. 68 percent”. (p.

“These attacks show no signs of abating – in fact they seem to be accelerating – and elected officials are proposing increasingly costly solutions” (p. 15). “Health care is one of the most pressing reputation issues facing Wal-Mart”. “Several groups are now mounting attacks on Wal-Mart focused on our health care offering.” “These battles with critics and government are contributing to the decline of Wal-Mart’s overall reputation.” (p. 7)

So what’s the solution to Wal-Mart’s dilemma?

“Wal-Mart should seek to attract a healthier workforce.” “Dissuade unhealthy people from coming to work at Wal-Mart.” (p. 15) Move to Health Care Savings Accounts, because “strong opposition is limited to 10 percent of Associates”, (the sick ones who most need health care). Of course, “Progressives view such plans as a “Republican Answer”, so “Wal-Mart will have to be sophisticated and forceful [like the Republicans?] in communicating this change internally and externally.” (p.14)

“Increase the number of part-time associates”, because they don’t receive health care insurance for up to two years “Lower company-paid life insurance.” .” (p. 10) Discourage spouse benefits “through higher premiums or other charges,” because “spouses are by far the most expensive plan members to cover”. (p. 9). “The most significant challenge here is that the shift to more part-time Associates will lower Wal-Mart’s health care enrollment . . . which could have an impact on public reputation.”

“To “attract a healthier workforce”, Wal-Mart can “design all jobs to include some physical activity”, because “it will be far easier to attract and retain a healthier workforce than to change behavior in an existing one.” (p. 14)

“These moves would also dissuade unhealthy workers from coming to work at Wal-Mart.” (p. 14) “We should reduce our overall benefit in profit sharing” and retirement. (p. 13).

Wal-Mart acknowledges a “public reputation risk”: “Healthcare coverage will fall several percentage points due primarily to a shift to more part-time Associates, which could draw additional attacks from Wal-Mart’s critics,” and the plan “has the potential to upset Associates, especially more tenured Associates” but “the advantages of the proposed strategy outweigh these risks”. (p. 18)

Maybe the more tenured, older, sicker, full-time Associates will then resign and make room for healthier part-time students?

To Wal-Mart’s credit, they do have one idea that could improve health care for everybody, if they instituted it at all of their stores: “Continue to explore adding health care clinics in stores”, “especially as a substitute to emergency room visits”. (p. 11) I’m afraid that’s as close to universal health access as American will ever get.

Please help Wal-Mart with their public relations strategy by sharing this memo information with everyone, particularly their long-time or sick employees, who are in for a shock.

I was in the store past my bedtime to purchase gift shoes and supplies for Tsunami orphans. I am chronically ill and have a parking permit for the handicap parking, often bedridden. I was parked in the first position, under the light, next to the door.

When I realized that my hubcaps were stolen I contacted management. I had to wait all day for them to call me back. To make a long story short – the man in charge of security for the entire store said he watched the video tape and (lied) saw no one steal my wheel covers, and they were still there on the video. I asked him to describe my car and he could not. I asked him if he watched the entire tape he said no. I asked several questions which he lied to. Then the store manager called my to confess that they had no tape and said she scolded her security man for lying. Then they said since they had no tape I had no evidence. The store manager then gave me a $25 gift card to reimburse me for the shoes and items for the Tsunami orphans.

The store manager seemed very nice and said the next night there was a smash and grab in the garden department late at night. It was on video and they could not make arrests even though they knew who these persons were. She said she beleived me about the hubcaps being stolen on store property and asked her supervisor if she could reimburse me from her petty cash but was told NO.

While I have never sued before in small claims court, I am considering taking Walmart to court for reimbursement of my wheel covers. I have homeowners insurance that pays for theft on my property for my company. Walmart has several signs posted in the parking lot saying “parking lot is under surveilance” which makes me feel safe. I find now I am not safe, and walmart lied about the tape.

I think a store employee stole my wheel covers and when confronted by the loss prevention manager, was pursuaded to “lose” the tape or “say none exhisted”. When coming into the store one employee said to another “you are still here, you punched out a long time ago”. I think it is too coincidental that this employee was still there, my tire covers stolen, and the next night a smash-and-grab which per the store manager was in inside job. Why would head of security lie to me, to police, and to the store manager??

What’s funny is the Project is selling these packets on the free market for a price, and using the free market is what tends to attract the wrath of so many Wal-Mart haters. Deliciously ironic.