Speakers to discuss wellness of workers

Employee health and wellness will be discussed Thursday at this year’s Future of Health Care program in Spokane.

Presented by Greater Spokane Incorporated and the Journal of Business, the program runs from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln St.

Speakers are Donna Steward, government affairs director for the Association of Washington Business; Dr. Kyle Dosch, dental consultant, Washington Dental Service; Mark Patrick, managing partner, Moloney+O’Neill; and Elisabeth Buchman, director of product development for wellness and ancillary products, Group Health Cooperative.

The discussion will focus on factors businesses should consider around employee health and wellness, such as the impact on their budgets and their ability to attract and retain new talent.

Cost is $30. Information: http://events.greaterspokane

.org.

Staff report

More Idaho businesses cover health insurance

Two-thirds of Idaho businesses are providing health insurance plans for full-time employees, a higher number than in the previous four years.

The Idaho Department of Labor said the 2011 number reverses an eight-year decline in workplace health coverage.

Ten years ago, 82 percent of businesses offered insurance plans for workers. That number steadily eroded to 74 percent in 2005 and then 63 percent in 2007 before bottoming out at 56 percent in 2009.

The results were based on 900 randomly selected employers of all size, sector and location.

Staff report

Boeing lands huge deal with Indonesian carrier

NEW YORK – Boeing has locked in its biggest order ever with a little-known airline halfway around the world.

The Chicago airplane manufacturer said Tuesday that it has finalized an order from Indonesian carrier Lion Air for 230 planes – worth a combined $22.4 billion. The deal is the largest commercial airplane order ever for Boeing Co. by both dollar value and number of airplanes. Lion Air also has the rights to buy 150 more planes.

The order includes 201 of Boeing’s redesigned 737, which it calls the Max, and 29 extended range 737-900s. Lion Air plans to pay for the planes over 12 years with bank financing.

Until the deal was confirmed, Boeing’s biggest firm order was from Southwest Airlines Co. for 208 planes valued at $19 billion at list prices.

Associated Press