Voluntary Benefits

Age 65the minimum age most people sign up for Medicareis a watershed date in a persons life.

The acquisition of HealthSpring, another insurer, for $3.8 billion last year helped lift Cigna Corp.'s net income by 49 percent in the fourth quarter.

Walgreen Co. brought in more revenue from established stores than Wall Street expected last month, as the nation's largest drugstore chain saw an increase in business due to the flu and its repaired relationship with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts Holding Co.

The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. on Monday reported a $46 million net loss for the fourth quarter, primarily due to losses from Superstorm Sandy in its property insurance operations.

With the headlong pursuit of mandated health care, one benefit has been largely left to fend for itself. Dental care has been treated by the health care industry for many years as that red-headed stepchild that parents are not sure how to deal with or where to put them.

Aetna's fourth-quarter net income sank 49 percent as higher medical costs squeezed profitability for the insurer's commercial health coverage, and several one-time expenses chipped away at the bottom line.