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Do you have a personal physician? How did you choose your doctor?

I always have had an ear for conspiracy theories. I still watch Oliver Stone's "JFK" almost religiously and freeze frame during the shooting incident. But when it comes to the health care exchanges created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, even I cannot start to consider a deep-seated conspiracy. The more I look at it, the more obvious the answer becomes: It's simple economics, that greatest leveler of them all.

Let me begin with a two-part confession: First, I do not claim to be a health reform expert. I have not read through the massive regulation and rely heavily on the interpretation of other, smarter people. Second, I am fairly apolitical. I don't find politics at the local, national and state levels particularly engaging.

In the digital age of talking via tweet, the term social networks now makes people think of Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. However, according to Dr. Larry Miller, president and CEO of Activate Networks, flesh-and-blood social networks are just as critical, if not more important, than those relationships forged in cyberspace.

There seems little doubt that America faces a looming retirement-income adequacy crisis. By virtually every measure, employees haven't saved anywhere near enough to fund their retirement. To cite just a few of many studies on the subject, a recent McKinsey report estimates that the average American faces a 37% shortfall in the income needed in retirement. Boston College's Retirement Readiness Index estimates 51% of Americans will not be able to maintain their preretirement standard of living. And introducing potential health care and long-term care costs increases the index to 66%.

I read an article recently from BNA that outlined the basics and advantages of placing employees - I assume high-quality executives and/or older workers, in most cases - on what's called "garden leave."

A key recommendation for medical coverage standards under president Barack Obama's health care overhaul will be released on October 7, according to the organization preparing the report.

The Obama administration on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to back the centerpiece of Barack Obama's sweeping healthcare overhaul —the requirement that all Americans have health insurance.

Until recently, most legal practitioners considered Illinois law well established in the area of employee restrictive covenants, including non-compete and non-solicitation agreements. Now, however, things could easily be described as a bit murky because recent decisions have called into question some basic principles of restrictive covenants. One Illinois appellate court, for example, has completely gone its own way, cavalierly jettisoning long-accepted jurisprudence. Another court has been at least willing to consider modifying well-known principles. So,…

Do you know what you are? Erisa titles matter. The questions may sound like the title to a Dr. Seuss book, but it has great bearing on how you are treated under ERISA. Knowing your title also creates clarification as to what your duties are, and what they are not.