Investing November 19, 2002

Medical Care Prices Up

November 19, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The medical care index, a component of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose 0.6% in October, according to the US Department of Labor (DoL).
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The 0.6% increase in the cost of medical care during October before seasonal adjustments represents a 4.8% increase from October of 2001.   Contributing to the rise was the high increase in the hospital and related services, up 0.9% in October and 9.3% since October 2001.

The largest increases were seen in:

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  • Outpatient hospital service: up 1.9% in October; an increase of 11.9% since October 2001
  • Inpatient hospital services: up 0.5% in October; up 8.9% since October 2001

Professional services saw price increases of 0.6% in October, a rise of 3.1% since October 2001. Included in this increase were physician services, up 0.6% in October, a rise of 2.9% since October 2001.   Additional increases were seen in eye care and dental service prices, up 1.3% and 0.3%, respectively.

The medical care commodities index, a measure of prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs and medical supplies increased a modest 0.3% for the month, but is up 3.3% from October 2001 levels.  

Components of the care commodities index reported mixed results in October:

  • Prescription drugs and medical supplies rose 0.4%; up 4.7% since October 2001
  • Nonprescription drugs and medial supplies declined 0.3%; down 0.2 % since October 2001

Overall, the non-seasonally adjusted October CPI climbed 0.2%, up 2.0% from the same period last year.

Benefits November 18, 2002

Wiccan Accuses Employer of Witch Hunt

November 18, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A former Mary Kay Cosmetics customer services representative is suing for harassment and discrimination because of her religious beliefs, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report.
Reported by

Elizabeth Cornman alleges in her a federal lawsuit filed Friday that she was discriminated against because of her Wiccan beliefs.   She is seeking $300,000 in emotional distress damages in addition to unspecified back pay damages.

Witch Trials

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Mary Kay hired Cornman in July 2000 as a customer service representative.    Her job was going well, including good reviews from her supervisor, until her marriage to a Wiccan priest the following year and the subsequent displays of her pagan faith.  

Included in those displays were ankle tattoos and necklaces of Wiccan symbols.   Cornman alleges that after she began displaying her Wiccan symbols she began experiencing adverse reactions to her and her religion at work.  

Supervisors confiscated a sand garden form the desk that Cornman used to draw runes to give her guiding principles for the day.   Additionally, Cornman said she was unfairly disciplined for damaging a copy machine and accused of “victimizing” a college by a supervisor.  

Cornman filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint after receiving a poor performance review in July of 2002.   Prior to this review, Cornman says she always got “rave reviews” from her supervisors.

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