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C M Y K

WorkMoney
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2005 THE NEWS & OBSERVER E
Wall Street Journal:
INDEX The vacation home

Week Ahead . . . . . . . . 2E
Color of Money. . . . . . 3E
Money Matters. . . . . . 3E
Technology. . . . . . . . . 4E
Markets . . . . . . . . . 8-11E
www.newsobserver.com/business/
&
might be a reunion
spot for your fam- As computer literacy and lawyers’
ily now, but it
could turn into
ranks grow, the space firms devote
sore spot for your to law libraries is shrinking.
heirs. PAGE 6E
Commercial Real Estate

A CHAT WITH
Christopher J. Ruhm

Economic
highs hold
health risk
If Christopher J. Ruhm could
slap a warning label on the U.S.
business cycle, it would read like
this: Good economic times may
be dangerous to
your health.
Ruhm, an
economist at
the University
of North Car-
olina at
Greensboro,
has discovered that a 1 percentage
point drop in the unemployment
rate leads to an additional 12,000
deaths nationwide, or 370 deaths
statewide, each year.
So consider yourself warned:
North Carolina’s unemployment
rate has fallen more than a per-
centage point since 2003.
Ruhm, 50, began studying the
health risks of economic expan-
sions about 10 years ago. His find-
ings have been published in peer-
reviewed academic journals.
Ruhm spoke by phone with staff
writer Amy Martinez. Ginny Carter, a camp counselor with YWCA of the Greater Triangle, holds camper Isabella Fanelli, 4. Since she was 14, she has worked in a range of jobs.
STAFF PHOTO BY ETHAN HYMAN

Q: Why do deaths increase

Summer break
during an economic ex-
pansion?

A: We know that people

drive more, so there are
more traffic accidents and fatali-
ties. Pollution levels increase. We
also know people consume more
alcohol. They smoke more. It
seems like people exercise less.
They probably eat out in restau-
rants more, and they tend to eat
less healthy. People have more 14? 15? Eyes on college? You get a job In Triangle,
programs
money but less time.

Q: I would have thought that

we can all breathe a little BY REBECCA ROUSSELL
easier now that the economy is on
the upswing and we don’t have to
STAFF WRITER

Tony Evans Jr. is juggling two ca-

under way
be as worried about losing our
jobs. Doesn’t that count for some- reer choices: engineering and law. BY REBECCA ROUSSELL
thing? So, this summer he’ll work as an of- STAFF WRITER

A: We know that when the

economy is doing better,
people’s lives are better in many
ways. Their jobs are more secure.
They’re more likely to get raises
and promotions. And, in fact, we
have some evidence that they’re
happier. But happier doesn’t
mean healthier. And the evidence
suggests that their health actu-
ally declines.
Q: So working is hazardous
to our health?
fice assistant at Legal Aid of North
Carolina in downtown Durham. He’ll
Despite the national decrease
in teen employment, summer
youth employment programs in
see what lawyers do, how hard they the Triangle are helping teenagers
work, and figure out whether it’s a ca- get jobs this summer.
The application and interview
reer for him.
process for this summer has ended
“It’s no use working in an atmos- both for the Raleigh Summer
phere that you don’t enjoy,” he said. Youth Employment program and
Next year, he can try engineering. the Mayor’s Youth Summer Pro-
gram in Durham. Applications are
Tony has plenty of time: The Riverside
High School student is not quite 15.
typically available in March for
Raleigh’s program and in Febru-

A: There certainly are risks

associated with many
jobs. There could be physical
risks. There could be environ-
mental risks. But we have to look
beyond that and ask “compared to
what?” Being poor also is bad for
your health.
Q: What got you interested
in studying the econ-
omy’s effects on health?
A: I had done a lot work in
the past looking at issues
surrounding what happens to peo-
ple when they lose jobs. And I
had seen work talking about how
one consequence of job loss was
SEE RUHM, PAGE 3E
College students have long worked
summer internships to prepare for ca-
reers. But more and more, high school
students are realizing that summer
jobs are a chance to check out poten-
tial careers — and enhance their col-
lege applications in the process.
As getting into college becomes
more competitive, college adminis-
trators say a work history can indeed
make a difference.
“We look at what other talents a
student brings to the table,” said
Thomas Griffin, director of under-
graduate admissions at N.C. State
ary for Durham’s.
The Raleigh program, for young
people 14 to 18, receives more
than 500 applications each year;
Ashley Williams, working with the city of Raleigh, filters out spam from 160 get jobs in city departments,
employee e-mail. ‘I thought it was a good opportunity,’ the 14-year-old said. parks and recreation or some pri-
vate companies.
STAFF PHOTO BY SHER STONEMAN
Employees work for 10 weeks
University. Summer employment, re- cepted. The enrollees’ average com-
and typically work 20 to 35 hours
a week. First-year employees with
the program are paid $5.15 an
search opportunities, community in- bined SAT score was 1,321.
volvement or non-paid experience in
a specific area can be the deciding
Steve Farmer, director of under-
graduate admissions at UNC-CH, said
hour, and second-year employees
are paid $5.30.
The teenagers also attend ses-
factor, he said. the admissions staff looks at an ap- sions on saving money, work
Last year 19,053 students applied to plicant’s high school coursework, test ethics and skills needed to be suc-
cessful on the job.
be freshmen at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill; 6,736 were ac- SEE JOBS, PAGE 12E SEE TRIANGLE, PAGE 12E

WHAT’S GOING ON
The inside scoop on ‘door to door’ solicitation of private Medicare plans

Private Medicare reps shouldn’t knock on your door

Just a few years ago, North Carolina
Medicare enrollees who wanted coverage
through a private carrier had just two
choices — Partners National Health Plans
and United Healthcare. That changed af-
ter Congress in 2003 passed legislation
that dramatically increased what the gov-
ernment pays private Medicare insurers.
Today, depending on what part of the
state you live in, there are as many as five
different private insurers offering up to 20
different Medicare plan options. Providers
are actively marketing their products. The
federal agency that runs Medicare has had
at least one complaint that private Medicare
plan sales representatives in North Carolina
have gone door to door to solicit business,
which is forbidden under Medicare rules.
What’s a private Medicare plan any-
way? When enrollees opt for private cov-
erage, they take that coverage in lieu of tra-
ditional Medicare. Medicare pays private
carriers a set amount per enrollee per year
for providing the coverage. If seniors have
retiree medical coverage from a former
employer, a private Medicare plan can fill
in gaps in that plan.
Who might benefit from a private
Medicare plan? Many private plans offer
expanded benefits not available through
traditional Medicare, such as prescription
drug benefits, covered wellness visits, dis-
ease management programs and 24-hour
nurse advice lines.
Who won’t benefit from a private
plan? Private insurers say almost everyone
can benefit. But consumer advocates advise
caution, especially if private coverage will
cost money. Plans offered in North Carolina
range from “zero premium” products that
cost nothing to plans costing as much as
$105 a month. Most private plans cost be-
tween $28 and $49 a month. That adds up
for a person on a fixed monthly income.
What carriers offer Medicare cover-
age in North Carolina? Humana, Part-
ners National Health Plans, Sterling, Uni-
care Life & Health and United Healthcare
all offer private Medicare plans, though
plans are not available in every county.
Plans may solicit business through news-
paper and television advertising, direct
mail, at public meetings. Some carriers ask
current members for referrals to friends
or family who may be interested. The fed-
eral government forbids “cold” calls or vis-
its, a provision intended to protect seniors
from high-pressure sales tactics.
JEAN P. FISHER
NEED HELP?
The state Seniors’ Health Insur-
ance Information Program provides
free information and counseling to
older adults with questions about
M e d i c a re. Ca l l t h e p ro g ra m a t
(800) 443-9354.
The federal Medicare program also
provides free information and help with
questions at (800) 633-4227.
Older adults or their family members
should report unsolicited contact from
private Medicare plan representatives by
calling either number.

1E, SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2005 C M Y K

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