Newscast: Thursday, October 25, 2012, 5:50 p.m.

The Shumlin administration is encouraging state employees with children to consider dropping the kids from their health care plan, and enrolling them in Dr. Dynosaur. The administration says the change could save state employees a lot of money.

The Shumlin Administration has taken the first step to design the specific health care benefit packages that will be available in Vermont through the new marketplace exchange beginning in 2014.

As cities and towns across Vermont battle the rising cost of health insurance for their employees, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns is pushing a special program that's supposed to help municipalities lower it.

Television news anchor Marselis Parsons retires this week from WCAX-TV. He discusses the changes in jurnalism over his 42 years on the air. Also, Sen. Patrick Leahy talks with VPR's Bob Kinzel about the role of anti-trust laws in the health insurance industry.

More people have health coverage in Vermont as the state has rolled out new programs aimed at covering the uninsured. But a new survey shows that cost remains a major barrier, despite state subsidies of insurance premiums.

Governor Jim Douglas and five other governors are scheduled to meet with President Barack Obama today to talk about health care reform.