Employers with large part-time and low-wage populations especially retailers are more likely to take measures to avoid triggering a costly requirement to provide health care coverage to employees that used to be ineligible.

A consumer group says Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon hasn't justified its proposal to raise rates for 52,000 people who buy health insurance in the individual market rather than through an employer.

Pilots overwhelmingly rejected the bankrupt company's offer of pay raises; American still hopes to cut its labor and pension costs, plus 7,800 jobs.

President Barack Obama says Republicans who want to repeal his health care overhaul want to take the country back to policies more suited to the 1950s than to the 21st century.