Walmart to give US staff GLP-1s, insulin, inhalers and 250+ medicines at no cost from 2027

Walmart will cover more than 250 prescription medicines, including some insulin, inhalers and GLP-1 diabetes drugs, at no cost to its US employees from 2027, the company confirmed to CNBC on Tuesday 13 October 2026. Reuters also reported the plan as part of a wider expansion of health benefits for the retailer's workforce.

The change lands weeks before open enrollment for Walmart employees closes on 6 November. Walmart is the biggest private employer in the United States, with about 1.6 million US workers out of roughly 2.1 million worldwide at the end of its 2026 financial year, CNBC said.

What Walmart employees get free from 2027

• More than 250 prescriptions at no cost, including some insulin and inhalers.
• Ozempic and Mounjaro: Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, both GLP-1 injections, will be free for people with Type 2 diabetes after a new prior authorization step.
• Not for weight loss: Walmart still does not cover GLP-1 drugs from Novo or Lilly when they are prescribed for weight loss, CNBC reported. Many other large employers also leave obesity treatment out, and some have recently dropped it to hold down costs.

Premiums and other changes

The cancer, second-opinion and NICU changes were set out in a letter to workers from Donna Morris, Walmart's chief people officer, according to CNBC. Walmart told CNBC this year's premium rise is smaller than last year's.

"The steps we're taking are based on years of planning and trying new things, which is allowing us to make meaningful improvements for associates without slashing benefits or significantly raising premiums," the company said in a statement to CNBC.

Why it stands out

Many US employers are passing rising health costs on to staff through higher premiums or thinner plans. Walmart has faced years of criticism over its pay and health benefits and has been raising compensation in response, CNBC noted.

For readers in Pakistan

The benefit applies only to Walmart's US staff on its health plans. To see what the dollar premium and other US figures come to in rupees, use our USD to PKR converter.