Wal-Mart CEO Says Maryland Law Requiring Large Employers To Spend Certain Percentage On Worker Health Benefits Will Not Affect Expansion Plans

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 25 Apr 2006 - 16:00 PDT

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Wal-Mart President and CEO H. Lee Scott on Wednesday during a conference with reporters in Arkansas said a Maryland law requiring Wal-Mart and other large employers to spend a certain amount on employee health care is "ridiculous," the Baltimore Sun reports (Walker, Baltimore Sun, 4/20). The law requires employers with more than 10,000 workers in the state to spend at least 8% of their payroll on employee health care or to pay into a fund for the uninsured. Wal-Mart is the only company that will be directly affected by the law (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 1/13). The law will take effect in January 2007. Asked by reporters about the law, Scott said, "The word that comes to my mind is ridiculous, although I probably can't say that." Scott said the law would not prevent the company from expanding in Maryland because consumer demand there is strong. "It's just part of what you deal with," Scott said, adding, "I think a lot of these things are short-term issues" (Baltimore Sun, 4/20).

"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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