May 20, 2013
J.K. WallWith premiums for health insurance likely to head north next year as President Obama’s health care reform law fully
takes effect, both individuals and employers will pay for more health care out of their own funds and buy less insurance.
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May 13, 2013
Rather than raising prices on private health insurers to make up for inadequate payments from the government, hospitals across
the country have been raising prices just because they can, according to a new study.
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April 27, 2013
J.K. WallIndiana’s county-owned hospitals have rushed to acquire nursing homes in the past two years, opening a revenue stream
for both the hospitals and the long-term-care facilities. But the additional federal revenue that has driven these purchases
could come under threat.
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April 11, 2013
Bloomberg NewsIndiana, Michigan and South Carolina saw the steepest declines in employer-backed coverage from 2000 to 2011, according to
a study released Thursday.
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April 6, 2013
J.K. WallEven though Obamacare likely will expand health insurance coverage to an extra 500,000 Hoosiers over the next few years, IU
Health expects per-patient reimbursements to fall as the federal government, employers and patients all push back on sky-high
health care costs.
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April 6, 2013
AnnJeanette ColwellThe recent flurry of big announcements portends well.
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March 30, 2013
J.K. WallThe biggest changes from President Obama’s 2010 health reform law take effect nine months from now, so many Hoosier
employers have started crunching detailed numbers to cost out their options.
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March 11, 2013
J.K. WallOne explanation for Indiana University Health’s decision to
delay its Methodist Hospital expansion is that new “value-based”
payment models appear to be pushing down hospitalization rates, according to a study released Friday.
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March 11, 2013
J.K. WallA fellow conservative provided some support for Gov. Mike Pence’s claim that an expansion of Medicaid will become a
“baby
elephant” that eats up larger and larger shares of state resources.
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March 4, 2013
J.K. WallWhile rural hospitals face sharp reductions in their operating incomes, most of the four major hospital systems based in Indianapolis
will see only a marginal impact on their finances.
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March 4, 2013
J.K. WallThe Indiana Senate voted unanimously last week to require the Indiana Medicaid program to pay home health agencies, rural
health clinics and federally qualified health centers for doing medical consultations, diagnoses and monitoring using videoconferencing,
telephones or computers.
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March 2, 2013
J.K. WallThe five-year trend of physician practices marrying up with hospitals has made it harder and harder for independent physician
practices to spend time in more than one hospital system.
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February 25, 2013
J.K. WallThe actuarial firm hired by the state estimates savings of about $156 million per year if Indiana uses its Healthy Indiana
Plan to expand Medicaid coverage.
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February 24, 2013
Associated PressThe cost of health care for an additional 400,000 low income residents is something nobody in the Indiana Statehouse seems
to be able to agree upon this year, even as the crucial decision about whether to expand Medicaid bears down on lawmakers
midway through their annual session.
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February 23, 2013
J.K. WallDecisions by other Republican governors to support Medicaid expansion is increasing pressure on Indiana's governor to do the
same.
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February 18, 2013
J.K. WallCommunity Health Network’s new partnership with Wishard Health Services will create a primary-care behemoth that the
systems argue will put them in the best position possible to handle the changes coming from federal health reform.
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February 18, 2013
J.K. WallThe partnership will create a new board to oversee and coordinate the operations of both systems, according to internal messages
sent to Community stakeholders. Community Health CEO Bryan Mills will be the CEO of the new joint-operating entity.
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February 13, 2013
J.K. WallThe Indianapolis-based health insurer saw its stock tumble as much as 4.8 percent Wednesday morning after it unexpectedly
named career hospital executive Joe Swedish to be its next CEO.
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February 11, 2013
J.K. Wall
Don Kelso is executive director of the Indiana Rural Health Association. The trade group is trying to help
its members navigate the changes coming from health care reform and the financial pressures being created by federal budget
cuts. The association recently launched a service for its members called SuiteStats, which is data-management software to
help hospital executives identify areas ripe for cost-cutting.
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February 11, 2013
J.K. Wall
Up until now, Gov. Mike Pence and his fellow Republicans in the Legislature have been playing a game of poker with the Obama
administration over a potential expansion of Indiana’s Medicaid program. But all of a sudden, Indiana’s hand just
got quite a bit weaker.
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February 4, 2013
J.K. WallIn the era of health care reform, hospitals will face two new challenges: They will need to run higher-volume, lower-margin
businesses, and they’ll be on the hook financially for what patients do even when they’re not receiving health
care. Community Health Network’s new partnership with Walgreens’ Take Care Clinics is designed to help address
both issues.
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January 28, 2013
J.K. WallShares of Zimmer Holdings Inc. have generated impressive returns of 23 percent in the past year and some 2013 product launches
could juice those results even further. But the Warsaw-based maker of orthopedic implants is also the most-exposed company
in its industry to two key elements of health care reform: the medical device tax and bundled payments.
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January 19, 2013
Scott OlsonA portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requiring companies in 2014 to begin offering health insurance
to more workers is causing a lot of anxiety.
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January 17, 2013
Associated PressThe leader of the nation's largest health insurer warned Thursday not to assume widespread participation from his company
in part of health care overhaul's coverage expansion that unfolds later this year.
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January 16, 2013
Associated PressDemocratic lawmakers pushed Wednesday for Indiana to take steps toward implementing the federal health care overhaul that
Republicans who control state government have so far rejected.
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If a television station wants to improve viewership, get rid of the local blackout. I was born by the brickyard, and have attended 15 or more races. I have children now, I won't attend unless circumstances are perfect. As those with growing families know, they never are. I'm always impressed that upwards of 250,000 people attend the 500. However, as a growing, or, more apt, sprawling city, Indianapolis and its immediate suburbs count almost 2.2 million. Show the race live, let the venue get a kick-back on revenues, and open-wheel racing might have a fighting chance to be relevant again. Just in time for those tax-payer lights to make sense.
John Moore, I too have had the same issue recently. A property next to my house was on the Land Bank and I was interested in purchasing. When I tried to contact Reggie, I got back emails that had nothing to do with what I asked about. Actually my latest response from him was on this past Friday. I had asked about how to buy the property and if it was still available. His response to me was to contact the mayor's office to get the schedule of his appearances. (???) Hopefully the city is able to do something to fix what this guy has done, it would be nice if they would take the properties back and sell them properly so land owners like me and you mother would have a fair chance.
I too work in the industry, with over 25 years of experience and your political spin has probably nothing to do with any rebranding. "Let's dress it up" would have nothing to do with the government "telling us how and what to eat." Give it a political rest. And being a producer for a radio show doesn't mean you've been involved in advertising and branding for 30 years.
Ms. Morris did not understand the ways of the business world, otherwise, like the IMS, she could have petitioned the State Legislature for a handout of State Funds for her charity work. Ms. Morris should consider becoming a state lobbyist for Lemonade Stand Operators.
David Copperfield!