Back in the day, we used to run weekly roundup blog, pointing out industry related highlights (and lowlights) around the Web. This week's been a little crazy (to say the least), and since most of us here at BenefitsPro are equal parts annoyed and exhausted, it seemed like a good time to revisit that format. At least for now. Let's see how it goes first.
Take, for instance, this great piece over at CNN – a work in progress – where they've started tracking members of Congress, and what they're doing with their paychecks during the shutdown. By law, they're still getting paid, but a growing number of lawmakers are donating those paychecks to charity or refusing them outright. Check it out here, and scroll down to find the links to the interactive spreadsheets that break it down by each legislative body.
I think it's pretty cool, and if nothing else, maybe it will finally stir some of you up who agree with my rants and raves against Congress but keep voting your own guy in.
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As I look at this next bit of journalism, it occurs to me that maybe I'm just into the interactive graphics this week. I don't know. At any rate, the New York Times has this great – if depressing – interactive map that shows us where America's poor and uninsured live. It boasts some pretty in-depth research and I love how easy it is to navigate. Take a few minutes with it here. I'd just avoid scrolling through it with the blues station running on Spotify.
On a more positive note, and a little closer to home, our own Kathryn Mayer tackles something near and dear to her heart: Disney. In a feel good story buried among plenty of feel bad ones, the House of Mouse is bucking the trend (or urban myth?) that employers are chucking their part-time employees out the door or onto the exchanges. Read for yourself.
Finally, the numbers are still rolling in, but it's funny how everyone looked at Tuesday's results and declared victory. Critics pointed at the clunky rollouts and technical difficulties and proclaimed it a disaster. While supporters saw all of those people scrambling to get health insurance and saw validation of their cause.
I think, like most things in life, that both sides have a point, but Lord knows it's far too early to intelligently "proclaim" anything. I'm gonna sit back, and wait. And see. The demand is clearly there, and the administration clearly wasn't fully prepared. It's a shame the private market couldn't address this better before now. I think we all know it would have done a better job if it had ever gotten around to it.
But, hey, I would love to hear any stories you have about launch day and how it went, whether good or bad. Drop me a line.
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