Latest Blogs
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Kim and Todd Saxton: Go for the gold! But maybe not every time.
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Q&A: What you need to know about the CDC’s new mask guidance
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Carmel distiller turns hand sanitizer pivot into a community fundraising platform
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Lebanon considering creating $13.7M in trails, green space for business park
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Local senior-living complex more than doubles assisted-living units in $5M expansion
Conservatives swinging Pence’s way on health reform
Conservatives, after waging war on Obamacare, including its large expansion of Medicaid, are starting to try to propose alternative, conservative ways to achieve its key goals.
While national health care spending growth slowed, Indiana accelerated
Indiana does not appear to be enjoying the rest of the nation’s slowdown in health care spending. Year-to-year growth in Indiana hit 6 percent in 2012 versus 4.5 percent for the nation.
Indiana has too many nursing homes
Indiana has 58 percent more nursing homes per resident and spends an extra $1 billion per year on care in nursing homes than the average for the rest of the country.
Patients, providers respond after Anthem promotes lower-cost MRI facilities
Anthem patients in five U.S. cities, including Indianapolis, spent $220 less per MRI scan after Anthem told them of lower-cost facilities. In response, hospital-owned MRI facilities cut their prices.
Indiana’s tax breaks for jobs cost at least three times more than Medicaid expansion
State and local governments hand out $921 million per year to entice business to add jobs. The Medicaid expansion is estimated to cost no more than $279 million per year.
Is this the future of rural health care: Walmart, walk-in clinics and an ambulance?
In two to three years, primary care clinics could be popping up in Walmart stores in rural Indiana while most rural Indiana hospitals will offer little to no inpatient services. That’s dramatically different from what we’re used to.
More patients help drug firms pass ‘valley of death’
In spite of the beaucoup bucks in the pharma sector, patients, along with their families and committed advocates, are turning out to be better sources of funding for early stage companies because they tolerate risk better than drug companies and investors.
The most likely conflict zone between Pence, Obama
Gov. Mike Pence thinks his HIP 2.0 plan would reform Medicaid in line with conservative principles. To the extent the Obama administration agrees, that’s the biggest hurdle to get the plan approved.
Small employers dumping plans faster than expected, WellPoint says
WellPoint saw 218,000 members of its health plans disappear because their employers ended their group plans. Other insurers, however, say small employers are ending their plans more slowly than expected.
Should IU Health pursue a strategy of mediocrity?
Indiana University Health fell off U.S. News’ honor roll of the nation’s top 1 percent of hospitals. Because of Obamacare and other trends, perhaps IU Health should be happy about that.
Most drug money in Indiana funds research. Is that good?
With federal research funding declining, drug companies are taking a larger role funding the medical research happening at IU and universities around the country. That’s not the same thing as paying to market drugs, but it’s hardly without controversy.
If courts gut Obamacare, Pence will face tough choice
If this week’s D.C. appeals court ruling stands up—declaring the Obamacare tax subsidies illegal in Indiana and most other states—Gov. Mike Pence could face significant pressure, even from traditional Republican supporters, to keep the tax credits flowing.
Will hospitals’ higher facility fees survive health reform?
One of the open secrets in health care is that hospitals are paid substantially more than independently owned health care facilities for the same procedures. But those higher fees are facing unprecedented pressure.
Indy hospitals continue to see fewer patients. Why?
All of sudden, Hoosiers are buying less health care. Is that because we’ve kicked the habit, sobered up and found religion? Or is it the Great Recession hangover that will pass, eventually, so we can all get back to the party?
Indy patients love their doctors
Indianapolis ranked fifth highest among the nation’s largest cities for the most positive reviews of physicians. On a five-point Patient Happiness Index, the average review by patients scored Indianapolis physicians at a 4.05. San Francisco physicians topped the list.
Doctors’ drug money
Indiana physicians and research organizations reaped more than $25 million in payments from 15 pharmaceutical firms in 2012, according to the most recent data made available by the not-for-profit group ProPublica. Lilly was the biggest spender and the IU medical school was the biggest recipient.
Employees may rebel against Obamacare
The economics of the Obamacare’s exchanges are proving attractive to both employers and workers, but a new poll shows that workers still don’t want to end up in them.