Wal-Mart announces new health benefits

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Wal-Mart has announced an expansion of health benefits for its part-time employees.<br/><br/>The retail giant says it is decreasing copayments from $10 to $3 on generic medications

Monday, April 17th 2006, 2:05 pm

By: News On 6

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Wal-Mart has announced an expansion of health benefits for its part-time employees.

The retail giant says it is decreasing copayments from $10 to $3 on generic medications for common conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and infections.

It's also making changes including expanding health benefits to children of part-time workers and reducing the waiting period for health care benefits to one year for part-time workers.

Bentonville-based Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world and has come under fire from critics who say it should be more socially responsible.