Detente Mellows Wal-Mart's Once-Virulent Foes

(NEWSER) - President Obama has a big new supporter in his push for health-care reform: Wal-Mart. The nation's largest private employer reversed course today and told the White House it supports the idea of requiring large employers to provide health insurance to workers. Most large corporations, along with the US Chamber of Commerce, oppose an employer mandate as too costly. Wal-Mart's shift could give Obama momentum on one of the most controversial aspects of his reform plans, reports the Wall Street Journal. More»

Cites concerns over rising costs

(NEWSER) - America’s largest employer is scaling back its health benefits, jacking up premiums for full-time workers by as much as 40% and eliminating coverage altogether for many part-timers, Walmart told employees this week. The company blamed rising costs for the move, telling the New York Times that it has nothing to do with the new health care reform law. “The decisions made were not easy,” a spokesman said, “but they strike a balance between managing costs and providing quality care.” From now on, employees who work less than 24 hours a week on average won’t be eligible for coverage. New hires who work between 24 and 33 hours will qualify, but won’t be allowed to add a spouse to the plan (kids, however, can be added). More»

Privacy advocates slam garment chips

(NEWSER) - Wal-Mart's plans to insert a tracking chip inside individual pairs of jeans and underwear has privacy advocates worried. The retail giant says the RFID chips will make inventory control much more efficient, but privacy groups warn that the chips—which can be removed, but not turned off—could be misused by criminals or unscrupulous marketers, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

(NEWSER) - A fundamental shift is going on in the consumer product world as retailers decide that less is more, the Wall Street Journal reports. Big national retailers are expected to slash selection by at least 15%, analysts say. Gone will be 30% of Kroger’s cereals, 20 of the 24 tape measures Wal-Mart sells, and so on. It’s a big curveball for manufacturers accustomed to cranking out variations on their top products. More»

Retail giant insures less than half of its workforce

(NEWSER) - Wal-Mart’s reputation for high-cost, low-benefit employee health care has led to battles with politicians, communities, and organized labor. The bad publicity hurt its reputation and, ultimately, its bottom line. Now, reports the New York Times, the nation’s largest private employer has a new prescription for health care, offering employees more affordable plans. More»