Story perspectives

Taxpayers Fund $2 B Medicaid for Walmart, Amazon Workers

7/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. taxpayers spend $1.04 billion on Medicaid for Walmart workers and $927 million for Amazon workers.
Over 156,000 Walmart employees and 123,000 Amazon employees receive Medicaid.
Direct Medicaid costs could roughly double when Walmart workers’ dependents are counted.
Walmart’s median worker earned $30,520 in fiscal 2026 while CEO Doug McMillon earned $29.2 million, a 958-to-1 ratio.
Amazon’s median employee earned $40,206 while CEO Andy Jassy earned $212 million in 2021.

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Story summary

U.S. taxpayers spend $1.04 billion on Medicaid for Walmart workers and $927 million for Amazon workers.
Over 156,000 Walmart employees and 123,000 Amazon employees receive Medicaid.
Direct Medicaid costs could roughly double when Walmart workers’ dependents are counted.
Walmart’s median worker earned $30,520 in fiscal 2026 while CEO Doug McMillon earned $29.2 million, a 958-to-1 ratio.
Amazon’s median employee earned $40,206 while CEO Andy Jassy earned $212 million in 2021.