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One of the nation's largest buyers for employee health benefits picked Blue Shield of CA and Included Health to help bring down insurance costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Occupy protest movement and its symbiotic relationship with labor unions in 2012. The author states that the Occupy Oakland group in California has rallied to support the workers from the Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton, California who were displaced by management over a healthcare benefits dispute. He argues that the Occupy movement receives up to six calls per week from labor unions seeking the assistance of Occupy protesters. In return, he states that the labor unions provide the Occupy movement with manpower and training in civil disobedience. The actions of several labor unions are examined, including the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU).

The article focuses on compensation management at Systems Group of TRW Inc., which introduced a flexible benefits plan for its professional and hourly-wage employees. Tax, policy, and administrative problems arose during the design and implementation of the insurance-options plan. The company negotiated with the California Department of Insurance to make its cafeteria-style benefits conform to the state's group coverage rules. Topics include options such as vacation buyback, medical and dental plans, life and accident insurance, enrollment packages for employees, and the cost of developing a cafeteria benefits plan.

In its announcement of the acquisition, Transact states that Quickcharge's offerings and team will help Transact grow its software solutions in other campus verticals. The kiosks use Blendid's foodOS contactless food automation platform that combines robots, artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to create up to nine smoothies at once and up to 45 unique blends in an hour. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the tiered HMO network which will move Voluntary Employee Benefits Association (VEBA) to reduce its premiums without cutting down benefits. It is noted that through the new venture with United Healthcare, Sharp HealthCare in San Diego, California will acquire more patient load from VEBA. Moreover, it implies that commitment on high-quality and cost effective care is the biggest challenge in the HMO network arrangement.

The article focuses on comeback of self-funding where an employer provides health benefits to employees with its own funds in California. Topics discussed include compensation in cost of health benefits, acceptance of self-funding plans by employers, and role of the U.S. Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) in reducing health care costs. Other topics include presentation of trusted advisors for selecting insurance plans and potential of self-funding in reducing health care costs.

A new California law that reclassifies some independent contractors as employees, requiring they be offered a range of benefits and worker protections, will likely expand health insurance coverage in the state, health policy experts say. While inducing many employers to extend health insurance to newly reclassified employees, it might prompt others to shift some workers from full-time to part-time status to avoid offering them health coverage, or - in the case of some small firms - to drop such benefits altogether. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents the opinions of several experts, including Nicole Evans, Victor Gunderson and Bill Wehrle, on the impact of the increase in health insurance premiums under the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, on employers in California. The factors that cause health insurance rates to increase are cited, including the soaring cost of prescription drugs and the discontinuation of federal programs helping insurers with the Obamacare transition.

The article reports on the surge of enrollment at the health insurance marketplace Covered California ended April 15, 2014. It mentions that signups in the marketplace amounted to 1.4 million which exceeded the initial estimates. It notes the decline in the number of small businesses enrolled in the Small Business Health Options Program of the exchange. It also emphasizes that about 77,000 San Diegans had signed up on the health exchange based on preliminary data from February 28, 2014.

The article focuses on California's experience in building its health insurance exchange, Covered California. Lessons that other states can learn from California's experience are highlighted. Genesis Financial Services president Sam Smith says brokers must think beyond competition in order to ensure the success of the market and of everybody working in it.

The article presents information on a new health benefits plan named SignatureValue Alliance in California by United Healthcare which will deliver effective and cost-efficient care. The plan will help employers to save their health care costs by lowering premiums. The participating medical groups include Heritage Provider Network, HealthCare Partners Medical Group and Scripps Health.

The article reports on the concerns of employers and employees on health care system in California. The health care coverage is a challenge between cost and coverage for the employees and employers. A recent survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation on the decline of health benefits from 69 percent in 2000 to 60 percent in 2005. There are affordable types of coverage and a variety of plan for small-business employers in providing health care for their employees.

The article reports on the results of the comprehensive survey on small-business owners conducted by the Union Bank of California. The survey shows that the small business owners have again listed the high cost of worker's compensation insurance, inability to offer employees health care benefits for employees and stifling government regulations are among their biggest concerns.

Reports on the policy renewals sent by workers' compensation insurance companies to customers across the state of California. Significance of the reforms on employers; Series of reforms passed by the Legislature in response to skyrocketing workers' compensation costs; Efforts of opponents to roll back the reforms.

Reports on the passage of business-friendly laws in California following their approval in right-of-initiative referendums on November 2, 2004. Rejection of Proposition 72, which would have required large and medium-sized businesses to provide health care to their workers; Funding for stem cell research that could help jumpstart a new industry in the state; Curtailment of unfair business practice lawsuits.

The article focuses on the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), an agency which manages pension and health benefits for public employees, retirees, and their families in California. It mentions that the CalPERS have played major roles in uprisings shareholder. It further informs about the involvement of the The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) in activist movements.

The article reports on the investigation of a civil grand jury in San Francisco, California which concludes that 38 restaurants pocketed a substantial amount allocated for the health coverage of the employees.

The article focuses on the findings of a survey conducted by Watson Wyatt Research which shows that more employers are loosing the compensation purse strings in California. According to the survey, employers plan to reverse pay cuts made during the global financial crisis and about one third of the respondents claim that they plan to unfreeze salaries. Moreover, it notes that most of the companies plan to demand more contributions to health care in 2010.

The article discusses a court case wherein the Golden Gate Restaurant Association challenged the ordinance implemented by the city of San Francisco, California, claiming that the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) preempted it. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that ERISA does not prevent the city government from mandating that every employer doing business in the city with at least 20 employees either cover employees with its own health plan or pay the city to do so.

The article reports on the expected decline of health insurance premiums of several workers at the University of California (UC), despite a predicted $91 million increase in health care costs in 2009. It mentions that the UC will pitch in an additional $5.2 million to help the 110,000 employees covered by its medical plan defray the cost. About one-third of UC employees, including an estimated 21,000 lower-paid staff, are said to be facing a decrease in 2009 net monthly rates.

The article reports on the growth of San Diego, California-based Benetrac Inc. Benetrac provides online access to health coverage and other human resource (HR) benefits to employees, mainly to small and medium-sized businesses. Brad Flipse, president of Benetrac, states that the company's merger with Paychex Inc. helps the former to expand. Currently, the clients of Benetrac's online benefits management range from small startups to large publicly traded firms.

The article presents the author's views on the health initiative proposed by the Governor of California. The author says that although the proposed initiative requires health care insurance for every Californian, it fails in allocating adequate funding and resources. The proposal includes much lesser health care coverage of employees than present. It also approves emergency regulations for enhanced fundings for non-credit offerings for community colleges which were not of much practical use.

The author discusses her views on how to address the challenges faced by the businesses related to the cost of providing health insurance and workers' compensation coverage for employees in San Diego, California. According to the author, the use of health care pools will be useful for companies to increase the number of policyholders and decrease the costs per business. The author believes that San Diego should improve its biotechnology.

Focuses on the concern of employees on health care costs in San Diego, California. Fear of employees about losing their employer-sponsored health insurance; Concern on how to pay for health insurance benefits; Impact on future health care cost.

Discusses the dispute between grocers and trade unions in California, which focus on the health care plans of supermarket employees. Details on the decision of members of the United Food & Commercial Workers to walk out of their jobs at Vons Cos., a unit of Safeway; Plans of the supermarket industry regarding the conversion of health benefits to fixed-contribution system; Information on the decline in employer-based health coverage.

Reports on the criticism against a bill signed by California Governor Gray Davis in October 2003 that requires small businesses to provide health insurance for their workers, either directly or through contributions to a state fund. Argument raised by proponents of the bill; Impact of the bill on the growth of small businesses.

Reports on the decision of a state appeals court that the California Department of Managed Care can not mandate the coverage of Viagra in prescription drug benefit plans. Significance of the decision to the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and health maintenance organizations; Justification for the decision; Statement issued by Department of Managed Care Director Daniel Zingale.

Reports on problems associated with the workers' compensation insurance market in California. Increase in the cost of claims; How the combination of decreased pricing and increased costs have resulted in poor operating results; Seizure of Superior National Insurance Cos. by the Department of Insurance for its failure to pay all of its claims; Concern that workers' compensation benefits have not kept up with inflation.

Reports on the decision of the California Department of Insurance for North American Life and Casualty Co. to grant previously denied insurance coverage to gay man Edward Miller. Naming of an unrelated male as his beneficiary; Refusal to take a blood test during the application for insurance coverage.

The article focuses on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by U.S. President Barack Obama in March 2010 that require every U.S. citizen and legal resident to have affordable health coverage by 2014. One of the foundations of such act is that each state in the country is required to set up and operate a health benefit exchange. Comments from Ralph Lopez, an agent at Valley Regional Insurance in Fresno, California, regarding the benefits of health savings accounts (HSA) are included.

The article reports that in the past 10 years, the cost of employer-sponsored health coverage in California has more than doubled. It now stands at the rate of 12,680 dollars for the entire family in comparison to the 5,791 dollars in the year 1999. As stated, this hike has been due to the improvement in the facilities provided. But now, companies are trying to find a solution to this problem. However some firms like Health Net Inc. have programs to make the health insurance more affordable.

Reports on Jack in the Box Inc.'s (JBX) offering of hourly employees health care coverage through a program. Total amount contributed by the company to defeat California's Proposition 72; Objectives of the company's multipronged program; Restructuring of the JBX fast-casual conversion concept; Estimated number of full and part-time hourly workers who would have access to health coverage.

California Gov. Jerry Brown signaled a focus on state retiree healthcare obligations when he released his $113.3 billion fiscal 2016 general fund budget proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]