New York's second largest state employee union on Thursday agreed to a contract that includes no raises for three years and other concessions demanded by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, avoiding nearly 3,500 layoffs.

New York soon will require insurers to cover screening, diagnosis and treatment for autism spectrum disorders, which will increase premiums for all individuals and businesses.

New York's largest health insurance company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., agreed Tuesday to publicly disclose more data used to justify premium increases.

The pension system for public employees in Montana is facing a larger shortfall due to market losses and other factors, according to a new report that will be presented to the Montana Public Employees' Retirement Board later this week.

A five-year labor deal that would freeze wages for three years for 66,000 union members in New York but would avoid hundreds of layoffs was approved Monday night, the union and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office announced.

Wall Street's volatility has hit state pension funds just as they were beginning to recover from the recession, turning what was merely a troubled forecast into a potentially stormy future for taxpayers who are on the hook for billions in unfunded liabilities for government retirees.