Investors still cautious about antitrust scrutiny on Anthem-Cigna deal
The stock price for Cigna Corp. remained lethargic during trading Thursday, as another mega-merger of insurers complicated the Anthem deal and sparked antitrust concerns.
J.K. Wall
Articles
Dow Agro sees sales fall as ag market stalls
Sales at Dow AgroSciences LLC fell in the second quarter due to lower demand in the Americas and a stronger U.S. dollar. Dow’s profits, however, rose 8 percent due to cost-cutting and the sale of one product line.
Study shows Lilly’s Alzheimer’s drug has small but lasting benefit
New data released Wednesday morning suggest that Eli Lilly and Co.’s Alzheimer’s drug has a modest but lasting impact on the memory-sapping disease. But analysts worry the impact is too small to be meaningful.
Lilly faces moment of truth this week
The Indianapolis-based drugmaker on Wednesday will release new data from patients taking its Alzheimer’s drug that could show whether the drug has slowed the progression of their disease. That will show investors whether the 45 percent rise in Lilly’s stock price over the past year is justified.
Cook Pharmica to hire 70 workers to expand drug-making capacity
Cook Pharmica, a subsidiary of Bloomington-based medical device maker Cook Group, currently employs 575 workers who manufacture and package drugs for use in clinical trials or for sale on the market.
Obama orders hospitals to serve full-meal deals—and sparks a health care revolution
The plan by the Medicare program to require hospitals in Indianapolis and 74 other cities to accept one payment for joint replacement surgeries is a huge step in fixing the crazy prices and spending growth in health care.
St. Vincent to dangle health insurance deal to employers
The hospital system and a partner company have started meeting with health insurance brokers to pitch a program to save employers money by keeping workers and their families healthier.
OrthoIndy tries urgent care to bring in more patients, cope with reform
The large practice of orthopedic surgeons is in the midst of spending $3.8 million over three years to open seven urgent care clinics specializing in orthopedic-related injuries.
Customers of Anthem say ID theft proliferating
Anthem Inc.’s massive data breach reported early this year is now generating real cases of identity theft, according to allegations in a small but growing number of lawsuits filed across the country. But Anthem and the FBI say none of the stolen data has been sold on the black market.
After silence, IU Health and Anthem voice concerns over Chamber’s smoking scandal
With Anthem and IU Health so hot to trot their anti-smoking bona fides, it’s surprising their responses to The New York Times' stories about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce blocking anti-smoking policies overseas have been so tepid.
Obamacare shovels another $122M to Indiana insurers
The money, known as reinsurance payments, helped MDwise, Anthem, Humana, Assurant and the Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana keep a lid on their losses even as lots of new patients with expensive or untreated medical conditions migrated into the private insurance market.
Indiana’s medical research ‘trade deficit’
Indiana's life sciences companies are spending four times more on medical research than the state's hospitals, doctors and univerities are receiving from such companies for research projects. That means Indiana is missing out on more than $80 million a year.
Cook deluged by product lawsuits
Patients from around the country have filed 100 lawsuits against Bloomington-based Cook, alleging that some of its blood-clot filters have broken apart, moved or poked through the blood vessel where they are implanted.
Developer soars with ‘special needs’ housing niche
Gary Hobbs and his wife, Lori, have built BWI LLC into a fast-growing developer of affordable housing with 48 employees and more than $10 million in annual revenue.
Community Health to pay $20M to settle false claims charges
The Indianapolis-based hospital system has agreed to pay $20.3 million to settle claims that it overbilled the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
No way out for employers on health benefits
Last week’s Supreme Court ruling upholding the tax credits for Obamacare is just the latest in a string of developments that have kept employers from ditching their group health plans, as many predicted they would.
Acquisition to nearly double OneAmerica’s retirement business
OneAmerica’s purchase of the U.S. retirement business of BMO Financial Corp. will add $26 billion in retirement assets to the $30 billion OneAmerica already manages.
Supreme Court’s Obamacare ruling is a win for Republicans—they just can’t see it
For at least 20 years, Republicans have been pushing for giving tax credits to help individuals buy health insurance. The Supreme Court’s latest Obamacare ruling does Republicans the favor of preserving them.
Familiar culprit holds up Anthem-Cigna merger
Anthem Inc.’s proposed $47 billion buyout of Cigna Corp. is the latest example of corporate deals that get hung up over executive egos and turf battles. For example, Anthem CEO Joe Swedish wants to lead the merged firm, to the chagrin of Cigna’s CEO.
Firm looks to bulk up on fat-reduction results
Wellness company On Target Health LLC, which one year ago launched a program to help overweight workers lose fat but not muscle, is seeing strong results from its first two clients.