Walmart expands employee abortion coverage

Walmart is expanding its abortion coverage for employees after following the Supreme Court ruling that scrapped a nationwide right to abortion.

In a memo sent to employees, Walmart, the largest employer in the US, said its health care plans will now cover abortion for employees when there is rape or incest, or there is a health risk to the mother, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, or lack of fetal viability.

Walmart’s benefits plan had covered abortion only in cases when the health of the mother would be in danger if the fetus were carried to term, if the fetus could not survive the birthing process, or if death would be imminent after birth.

According to Walmart’s chief people officer, Donna Morris, the new policy will also offer “travel support” for workers seeking abortions covered under its health care plans, as well as their dependents, to enable them to access services that are not available within 100 miles of their locations.

Abortion is illegal in Arkansas, where the company is based unless it is required to save the mother's life in the event of a medical emergency.

The revised policy allows Walmart employees to travel outside of the state or any other state that prohibits abortion for rape and incest to obtain the procedure through the retailer's health plans.

In the United States, Walmart employs nearly 1.6 million people.