Cost-Containment

Aetna, in announcing its accountable care agreement with PinnacleHealth System of Harrisburg, Pa., noted that the agreement is part of its initiative to reward top-performing medical practices by sending them more covered employees.

Many self-insured employers that rely on stop-loss insurance could be forced to discontinue their health plans if the bill doesnt win approval.

For those who are getting ready to cut a holiday check or hand out some other sort of recognition, here are a few guidelines to make the giving smoother.

The Institute for Supply Management said Monday that its index of manufacturing activity rose to 57.3. That was up from 56.4 in October and was the highest since April 2011. A reading above 50 signals growth.

The actions would build on a campaign that began about a year ago to call attention to the difficulties of living on the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

An employer's guide to cancer treatment and prevention was billed as the HR industrys first publication of its kind, and by the sound of it, a resource that employers will want to get their hands on.