What medical, dental, and vision options are available to Walmart part-time employees and what are typical employee premium costs?
Executive summary
Walmart’s official benefits materials show part‑time hourly and temporary associates can become eligible for medical, dental and vision plans after an eligibility measurement period, with restrictions (for example part‑timers may only cover children, not spouses) and plan details in the company brochure [1] [2]. Corporate messaging for 2026 lists medical coverage “starting at $38.30 per biweekly pay period” for full‑time and eligible part‑time associates [3]; the published Associate Benefits Books and plan pages list plan options (Premier, etc.), virtual care with Doctor On Demand at $0 for many plans, and dental administered by Delta Dental [4] [5] [6] [7].
1. Who is eligible and when: the measurement period rule
Walmart’s benefits guides and “part‑time and temporary” brochure explain that new part‑time hires face a measurement/eligibility period (often 60 days or a variable measurement window); eligibility for medical coverage depends on hours worked during that period and associates retain prior status through their coverage period — full details are in the Associate Benefits Book and the part‑time enrollments PDF [7] [1] [8]. Employer and independent reporting also note past policy changes tying eligibility to averaging at least 30 hours weekly in some eras, but current OneWalmart materials are the authoritative source for today’s rules (p2_s7; [14] — historical reporting).
2. What medical plans are offered to part‑time associates
Walmart’s plan pages and benefits books list multiple medical plan tiers (for example a “Premier” plan described on the company site), with features like $0 virtual primary/mental‑health visits through Doctor On Demand/Included Health, home‑delivery Rx rules, and a bundled Personal Healthcare Assistant to help with care navigation [4] [5]. The corporate benefits overview emphasizes affordable employee premiums starting at a $38.30 biweekly rate for eligible associates in 2026, though that figure is presented as a company headline and applies to “full‑time and eligible part‑time associates” rather than every enrollment situation [3].
3. Dental and vision: coverage, networks and limits for part‑time workers
Walmart’s materials and vendor pages show dental coverage is administered through Delta Dental with preventive services often covered at low or no cost; some part‑time and temporary associates have access to dental and vision options but may face limits on who they can cover — part‑timers typically may only add eligible dependent children, not spouses or partners, per the part‑time brochure [6] [2]. Company and third‑party summaries note multiple dental plan structures (PPO/DHMO) and sometimes discount dental alternatives for temporary or part‑time workers [9] [6].
4. Cost details and where the $38.30 number fits
Walmart’s corporate page states medical coverage “starting at $38.30 per biweekly pay period in 2026,” positioning it as a low starting premium compared with national averages [3]. The Associate Benefits Book and plan pages say employees can “see your cost per pay period” on enrollment pages and that tobacco users will pay higher premiums; specific per‑plan and dependent rates are provided in the company rates documents (OneWalmart rate PDFs), which employees must consult for exact numbers by plan and by enrollment category [4] [8] [10]. Available sources do not publish a comprehensive public table of all part‑time premium tiers and dependent rates in the search results provided.
5. Limits, exclusions and voluntary add‑ons
The official part‑time brochure specifies some exclusions: disability coverage and company‑paid life insurance are not available to part‑time hourly and temporary associates; part‑timers may be restricted to covering only children (not spouses) in some cases [2]. Third‑party summaries and employee Q&A pages note that voluntary life, accident, and other optional products exist but availability can vary with status and waiting periods [11] [12]. The corporate materials also reference FSAs/HSAs and other tools for tax‑advantaged spending [7] [13].
6. Practical steps and differing perspectives
Walmart directs associates to OneWalmart and the annual Associate Benefits Book for plan comparisons, effective dates, and exact per‑paycheck costs; vendor microsites (Included Health, Delta Dental) provide service details such as $0 virtual visits and covered preventive dental care [5] [6] [4]. Outside reporting and historical coverage notes show retailers have at times narrowed part‑time offers, so employees should verify current eligibility and rates in company documents rather than relying on older third‑party summaries [14] [15].
Limitations: This piece relies only on the provided search results and company documents; the full OneWalmart rates PDFs and in‑portal calculators (which contain granular premiums by plan, dependent tier, and tobacco status) were referenced in results but the full rate tables are not reproduced in these results, so exact typical premiums by plan/dependent status are not listed here [10] [8].