Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, is immediately expanding travel and abortion coverage for its US employees, according to Executive Vice President Donna Morris, who made the announcement in an internal memo circulated to employees Friday.
The company’s health insurance plans will now cover abortion under certain circumstances: when there is a health risk to the mother, rape or incest, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or lack of fetal viability, according to Morris.
There are currently a total of 4,735 Walmart stores in the United States, where 90 percent of the population resides within 10 miles of one. That includes 62 Walmart stores in New Jersey.
Asked about Walmart’s stance on providing coverage of abortion following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent repeal of Roe vs. Wade, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon recently said the company was in the process of reviewing it policy and would have a decision by the open enrollment period for insurance in September.
Walmart is the nation’s largest employer with 1.6 million workers across the U.S.
The company said it will also cover expenses related to travel for employees having to go more than 100 miles to get a procedure.
Arkansas banned abortions in the retailer’s home state after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June.
Under Arkansas law, abortions resulting from rape or incest are not allowed, but Walmart’s policy will cover the procedure in states where that exception is allowed, such as Kansas.
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