Break from the Grind April 6, 2020

TRIVIAL PURSUITS: Is a Watermelon a Fruit or a Vegetable?

There are a few foods that have sparked debate over whether they are a fruit or a vegetable.

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Is a watermelon a fruit or a vegetable?

According to watermelon.org, like the pepper, tomato, and pumpkin, watermelon is a fruit, botanically. It is the fruit of a plant originally from a vine of southern Africa.

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Watermelon is a member of the cucurbitaceae plant family of gourds (classified as Citrullus lantus), related to the cucumber, squash and pumpkin. It is planted from seeds or seedlings, harvested, and then cleared from the field like other vegetables.

The website argues that according to Webster’s dictionary, a vegetable is anything made or obtained from plants, so since watermelon is grown as a vegetable crop using vegetable production systems, watermelon is considered a vegetable.

Watermelon.org notes that in places like China, the outer rind of the watermelon is used as a vegetable—stir-fried, stewed and often pickled. Pickled watermelon rind also is widespread in Russia and common in parts of the southern United States.

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Products April 6, 2020

Mercer Offers Cost Projection Framework for Employers With Self-Funded Health Benefits

Only 5% of employers with self-funded health insurance already have a financial impact assumption, while 21% say they have begun modelling it, according to Mercer.

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Only 5% of employers who offer self-insured health plans say they have produced a financial impact assumption of 2020 health benefit costs, according to preliminary results of a Mercer spot survey regarding the impact of COVID-19.

Among the many financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. businesses will be its impact on 2020 self-insured health plan costs. Employers that self-fund their health care benefits could see costs jump by as much as 7% this year as a result of testing and treatment costs related to COVID-19, according to an actuarial analysis by Willis Towers Watson.

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As there are many uncertainties—such as the prevalence rate, the development of a treatment and so on—reviewing multiple future-state scenarios will be essential as the situation evolves both in the macro environment and in employers’ own organizations, Mercer says. Mercer has developed a framework for developing cost projections.

To update 2020 claims estimates, Mercer says employers need to start with their current 2020 estimate and make three adjustments. The first adjustment covers the costs related to individuals who receive a test, the second is for those who test positive and require treatment, and the last is an adjustment to reflect changes in how employees are consuming non-COVID-19 related medical services. Specifically, Mercer is seeing a reduction in non-critical “elective” services that could offset total costs.

Although only 5% of employers with self-funded health insurance already have a financial impact assumption, 21% say they have begun modelling it, according to Mercer. Among those that provided their working assumption, for about half it’s 5% or below, and for half it’s 6% or higher.

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