Report: Walmart to raise healthcare premiums

New York -- Walmart’s U.S. employees will pay between 8% and 36% more in premiums for its medical coverage in 2013, Reuters reported.



For its most popular plan, which covers individuals, the payment per bi-weekly paycheck is going up by $2, or 13%, the report said. Some other plans would have higher increases.



The chain said average costs its employees will bear should only increase about 4.4% in 2013, due to the elimination of some high premium plans, its move to offer free heart and spine surgery to most employees at six health care centers, and provision of other services, such as access to a healthcare advisor. That is less than the 9% average increase expected for all American workers next year, according to a study by human resources firm Aon Hewitt, though it isn't clear whether the figures are comparable.