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Walmart will make certain GLP-1 drugs, including Ozempic and Mounjaro, free in 2027 for certain employees of the company. The move is part of a wider change that adds more than 250 prescription medications at no cost under most of its medical plans.
The retailer announced the changes Tuesday in a letter to employees from Chief People Officer Donna Morris. The announcement landed in the middle of Walmart’s annual benefits enrollment period, which closes Nov. 6.
Walmart is the largest private employer in the U.S., with about 1.6 million workers in the country and roughly 2.1 million worldwide as of the end of its 2026 fiscal year.
GLP-1 is short for glucagon-like peptide-1, a class of injectable medications that help control blood sugar. Ozempic is made by Novo Nordisk, and Mounjaro is made by Eli Lilly.
Which GLP-1 drugs will Walmart cover for free in 2027?
Walmart’s free GLP-1 coverage includes Ozempic and Mounjaro, two injectable drugs prescribed to manage Type 2 diabetes.
Certain insulin products and inhalers are also on the broader list of medications that will cost employees nothing next year.
Walmart also highlighted drugs for conditions that are costly to treat, such as hemophilia and multiple sclerosis.
How do Walmart employees with Type 2 diabetes qualify for free GLP-1 drugs?
To get GLP-1 drugs free in 2027, Walmart employees have to have Type 2 diabetes. They also need to meet two other conditions:
- Enroll in an eligible plan. The benefit applies under most Walmart medical plans, not all of them, so the plan an employee picks for 2027 matters. Enrollment closes Nov. 6.
- Get a new prior authorization. Walmart said employees will need a new approval before the drugs are free. A prior authorization is a review in which the health plan confirms a prescription meets its rules before it pays.
Coverage also comes with a premium. Walmart’s starting medical plan will cost $39.80 per biweekly pay period in 2027, $1.50 more than the $38.30 employees pay this year.
Walmart said that increase is smaller than the one it made last year. The company also said premiums for its starting plan have run about 30% below the national average in recent years.
Does Walmart cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss in 2027?
No. Walmart’s plans will still not cover GLP-1 drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly when they are prescribed for weight loss.
The retail company isn’t alone in that limit. Many large employers don’t pay for GLP-1s used to treat obesity, and some have recently dropped that coverage to keep health care spending in check.
Walmart is moving the other way on most of its benefits. Many employers are passing rising health care costs on to workers through higher prices or thinner plans. Walmart said its changes reflect years of planning that let it improve benefits without cutting coverage or significantly raising premiums.