Critics of a proposal to create a new public pension system urged New Hampshire lawmakers Thursday to spend more time studying the idea, warning that the planned changes could make it more difficult to recruit and retain good employees.

According to the Randstad Employee Confidence Index, worker confidence hit 52.4 percent in January, a jump from 47.4 percent in December, marking the biggest climb of the surveys history.

Walgreen Co. has agreed to buy assets of BioScrips specialty and mail service pharmacy businesses for $225 million.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback's efforts to overhaul Medicaid hit a rough spot Thursday after the state's largest health insurance company decided not to bid on a contract to help manage the program, leaving some lawmakers and advocates increasingly uneasy.