Insurance company acquires former Lids HQ in Zionsville for $18.25M
Group One Thousand One LLC, an Indianapolis-based insurance holding company, announced plans Tuesday to expand local operations into the Zionsville building beginning next year.
Health Care & Insurance
Articles
Buttigieg tries to court minority voters by focusing on their health
Pete Buttigieg unveiled a proposal Tuesday to correct troubling health disparities among African-Americans and Hispanics—a crucial constituency to win over to have any hope of securing the Democratic presidential nomination.
Virtual health care grows, but usage is uneven and some patients, physicians are slow to adopt
Three years after Indiana passed a law allowing doctors to prescribe drugs for patients without an in-person visit—using a computer, smartphone, video camera and similar technology—some health systems around the state are reporting higher use of virtual visits. St. Vincent, for example, sees hundreds of patients a month remotely for ailments ranging from minor rashes and sprains to follow-up visits for strokes.
Medicare drug plan finder can steer seniors to higher costs
As open enrollment goes into the home stretch Thanksgiving week, critics say the new tool can create confusion by obscuring out-of-pocket costs that seniors should factor into their decisions.
Dem presidential candidates revive ‘Medicare for All’ fight at Atlanta debate
Like a string of previous debates, Wednesday’s prominently featured squabbles over a program that could alienate general-election swing voters who may be wary of fully government-run, universal health care.
Eli Lilly to spend $400M on manufacturing expansion in Indy, add 100 jobs
The pharmaceutical giant says it needs additional manufacturing capacity to keep up with demand for current medicines and new drugs expected to emerge from its pipeline.
AMA calls for total ban on all e-cigarette, vaping products
The group adopted the sweeping stance at a policy-making meeting in San Diego. It aims to lobby for state and federal laws, regulations or legal action to achieve a ban, but the industry is sure to fight back.
White House urgently ramps up push for drug cost legislation
A Gallup-West Health poll finds that 66 percent of adults don’t believe the Trump administration has made any progress, or very much progress, in limiting the rising cost of prescription drugs.
Obamacare offers Hoosiers fewer choices, higher prices
From a look at the numbers, Indiana is not a great place to buy health coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
Q&A: Keeping health care workers safe
Joe Anderson, 62, is executive director of protective services for Methodist, University and Riley hospitals, responsible for physical security for more than 4,500 employees and property of more than 10 million square feet.
White House seeks disclosure of actual health care prices
New rules from the Trump administration would require insurers and hospitals to disclose upfront the actual prices for common tests and procedures. The sweeping changes face stiff pushback from the health care industry and could be challenged in court.
Hospital association contests Ball State monopoly study
The Indiana Hospital Association is disputing a Ball State University study of Hoosier hospitals that blames part of the high cost of health care on monopolies.
Addictions-treatment provider Fairbanks merging with Community Health Network
The merger, announced Wednesday, is designed to give patients a more comprehensive approach to addiction and behavioral health services,” including treatment for serious mental illness and a psychiatric intensive care unit.
Google strikes controversial data deal with St. Vincent’s parent firm
Announcement of the tech giant’s arrangement with Ascension followed reports that Google had access to thousands of patient health records without doctors’ knowledge.
Indiana medical insurance coverage lags surrounding states
Indiana had a higher percentage of people lacking medical insurance than any neighboring state in 2018, but its rate was better than the national average.
Juul halts sales of mint, its top-selling e-cigarette flavor, but not menthol
Underage vaping has reached what health officials call epidemic levels. In the latest government survey, 1 in 4 high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the previous month, despite federal law banning sales to those under 18.
Ravi Parikh: Why for-profit research should be taken seriously
Patient data is increasingly in the hands of for-profit industries. Insurance firms and other for-profit companies have been collecting patient data that yields important information that could be used to shape medical care and health policy.
St. Vincent faces expensive growth options
The hospital system’s 45-year-old campus will likely need hundreds of millions of dollars in upgrades in coming years to keep it competitive long term.
Warren pledges no middle class tax increase in $20T health care plan
Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren’s plan is built on transferring to the government 98% of the $8.8 trillion she estimates that employers will spend on private insurance for their employees.
Indiana suspends work requirement for Medicaid until lawsuit is resolved
Starting in July, Indiana began requiring people to work, volunteer or participate in other qualifying activities as a condition for receiving medical benefits under the Healthy Indiana Plan, the state’s biggest Medicaid program.