Walmart and Lowe's employees and dependents no-cost hip & knee surgeries (hospital, surgery)

[OneDayAttaTime]

Posted in another forum about Walmart and Lowe’s contracting with four facilities to perform knee-replacement and hip-replacement surgeries at no-cost to their insured employees and their dependents

To read it go here:
//www.city-data.com/forum/springfield-branson-area/2060367-mercy-hospital-knee-replacement-hip-replacement.html

[modhatter]

Originally Posted by haldemoss

I think this is a great and kind step to provide free surgery.People who can't afford such surgeries should take benefit from this.

Though I agree it is great for the employee, I do not think these corporations did this to be kind. I believe there were two motives behind the move. Many people at Lowes and Walmart engage in heavy lifting (at least until the time they reach upper management), and often sustain early damage to their joints. Getting a most likely reduced rate for replacement parts under a company insurance policy and offering it at no cost to them to encourage repair, is more financially beneficial to them as opposed to these people filing workman's comp claims for permanent disability due to work related injuries.

Too many long term workman's comp claims filed by employees over the years results in your rates escalating easily three or four fold. As these corporations are not franchises, but company owned, that translates to a lot of employees and a lot of workman comp claims, which risk adjusted rate is charged for each and every employee of the company. So, it is my entrepreneurial experience that tells me this was not a kind gesture, but rather a cost saving gesture. Now if I read they were doing this for Cancer treatment, I might have a different opinion.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by modhatter

Though I agree it is great for the employee, I do not think these corporations did this to be kind. I believe there were two motives behind the move. Many people at Lowes and Walmart engage in heavy lifting (at least until the time they reach upper management), and often sustain early damage to their joints. Getting a most likely reduced rate for replacement parts under a company insurance policy and offering it at no cost to them to encourage repair, is more financially beneficial to them as opposed to these people filing workman's comp claims for permanent disability due to work related injuries.

Too many long term workman's comp claims filed by employees over the years results in your rates escalating easily three or four fold. As these corporations are not franchises, but company owned, that translates to a lot of employees and a lot of workman comp claims, which risk adjusted rate is charged for each and every employee of the company. So, it is my entrepreneurial experience that tells me this was not a kind gesture, but rather a cost saving gesture. Now if I read they were doing this for Cancer treatment, I might have a different opinion.

This is exactly why they do this...much in the same way other companies that have loud work environments pay for hearing aids for workers.