Insurance

Gov. Christie on Friday formally declared New Jersey will not operate its own health insurance exchange and will rely instead on the federal government to serve uninsured residents, small businesses, and others eligible for coverage under the signature piece of the Affordable Care Act. New Jersey joins 25 other states, including Pennsylvania, that are leaving it to the federal government to run the new online insurance marketplace, designed to...

DEAR HARRY: I worked for a life-insurance company from 1985 until I was laid off after it was purchased in 1993. Shortly after that, I received a letter advising me that I was entitled to a "deferred monthly pension benefit of $295 a month" starting June 1, 2013. I still have the letter. In October, I sent them a letter request for any forms they wanted me to fill in. I included a copy of their letter dated May 8, 1993. No answer. I then spoke with a co-worker who had a similar problem.

In a highly critical letter, U.S. Department of Labor officials have rebuked the State of Pennsylvania for "serious compliance issues" in its operation of the unemployment insurance program. The commonwealth has often underperformed so profoundly in the timely handling of unemployment insurance forms and other matters - many within the last year - that the federal government may consider sanctions that would restrict budget money to the Department of Labor and Industry, according to the letter.

After a bit more than a month as president and chief executive of Philadelphia Insurance Co., Sean Sweeney has stepped down "for personal reasons," the Bala Cynwyd company said. Sweeney's replacement is Robert D. O'Leary Jr., who had been executive vice president and chief marketing officer. Philadelphia Insurance, which was sold to Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. for $4.5 billion in 2008, announced Sweeney's promotion to CEO from chief operating officer in November. The promotion took effect Jan. 1. Sweeney is a nephew of company founder James J. Maguire.

D EAR HARRY: I'm in a terrible dilemma over insurance. I am 35 and have recently become a first-time father to a beautiful baby girl. Naturally, the question of life insurance came up. We got seven calls from agents selling life insurance in the month following her birth. We contacted the guy who takes care of our car and homeowner's, and he came back with the statement that long-term disability insurance is more important. He said that death is more traumatic for the other family members, but disability is far more likely.

Expansion of Medicaid in January is at the core of the federal health-care overhaul's effort to reduce the number of Americans without health insurance. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, however, made Medicaid expansion optional for states, rather than mandatory. Though neither Gov. Christie in New Jersey nor Gov. Corbett in Pennsylvania has shown an interest in expanding Medicaid, it's difficult to understand what that means for the states, in part because future governors may opt to expand it and because grasping who is currently covered by Medicaid is not easy.

Happy Gladys Vivian Craven Fernandez made her name in Philadelphia in three chapters: first as an education and peace activist, then as a city councilwoman and unsuccessful candidate for mayor, and then as president of Moore College of Art & Design. Those accomplishments no doubt brought a full house to her memorial service Sunday at the Germantown Jewish Centre, but it was the stories of her faith, her love, and her foibles that brought tears and laughter to a crowd that included former Gov. Ed Rendell, Mayor Nutter, and U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D., Phila.)

J OE D'AMICO knew what hard work was. Life was tough in the years of the Great Depression, and Joe was lucky to get any job. But working on the Pennsylvania Railroad, laying track, was a true test of muscle and grit. "He claimed it was the hardest job he ever had," his family said. While in high school, Joe worked with his father, an immigrant from Sicily, as a shoemaker. And while working his way through college, Joe had another challenging job: climbing over scaffolding at City Hall to keep tabs on laborers as a timekeeper.

NEW YORK - Pharmaceutical companies are pleased that health-care reform means more patients have insurance and will be encouraged to take their medicine to avoid costly hospitalizations. But, as Johnson & Johnson chief executive officer Alex Gorsky said Tuesday, drugmakers want private insurers or government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid to pay them for those drugs at a prices closer to their choosing. "Be aware," Gorsky said, that cost-containment efforts must "ensure we continue to reward innovation," or risk not having new drugs to treat health problems.