That kind of legislation, which imposes mandates on employers, "may score short-term political points" while failing to solve the real problem of rising health-care costs, Scott said. Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart, which opened nine health clinics in stores in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Florida and Indiana last year, plans to more than quadruple the number this year. Advocacy groups including Wal-Mart Watch have criticized the retailer's pay and benefits, saying the offering is so poor that many Wal-Mart workers are on public assistance programs, including Medicaid. Wal-Mart, which had more than $300 billion in revenue last year, is the country's largest private employer with 1.3 million workers. According to a Wal-Mart memo, 5 percent of its workers are on Medicaid and 19 percent are uninsured. The company will expand the availability of the lowest cost "Value Plan" health benefit to at least half of all employees.