Health, business coalition seeks to repeal ‘smoker’s bill of rights’
An alliance of doctors, hospitals, insurers and employers wants to roll back a 27-year-old Indiana law that prohibits employers from screening job candidates for tobacco use.
Health Care & Insurance
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Firm that repairs ultrasound probes grows quickly
Fast-growing Fishers-based Probo Medical serves a niche within a niche: It repairs and refurbishes ultrasound equipment—more specifically, the probes for ultrasound systems.
Return of medical-device tax dismays firms across state
The medical-device industry will see a resumption of the 2.3 percent federal excise tax beginning this month, following a two-year moratorium that expired Dec. 31.
National chain opens three addiction centers in Indiana
CleanSlate Centers, a fast-growing, venture-backed operation based in Nashville, Tennessee, said it has opened two outpatient treatment centers in Indianapolis and one in Bloomington.
Obamacare sign-up tally dips slightly, to 8.7 million
HealthCare.gov enrollment reached nearly 95 percent of last year's level, outperforming projections in a show of consumer demand, despite a shortened sign-up season and big cuts in the ad budget.
IU wins lawsuit by fired director accused of sexual harassment
A district court judge ruled Indiana University’s School of Dentistry and high-ranking members of its faculty did not violate a former clinic director’s rights by firing him for alleged sexual harassment of students.
Two ex-nursing home execs to plead guilty in kickback scheme
Former American Senior Communities CEO James Burkhart and former Chief Operating Officer Daniel Benson have agreed to plea deals in a kickback scheme involving millions of dollars.
Holcomb calls for ‘complete assessment’ of child agency, appoints new director
The announcement Thursday comes in the wake of a scathing resignation letter from Gov. Eric Holcomb’s outgoing Department of Child Services director.
Senator presses Anthem on decision to clamp down on ER reimbursements
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill is asking the Indianapolis-based insurer to turn over a huge array of internal documents, explaining how it reached its decision to deny certain emergency room claims.
Riley moves ahead with $142M maternity expansion project
Riley Hospital for Children is about to begin renovating four floors of its hospital into a new, centralized maternity and newborn health unit.
Assembly Biosciences’ market value surges to nearly $1B, despite red ink
The 5-year-old Carmel biotech has won plenty of attention from Wall Street and has secured more than $100 million through licensing deals and a stock offering to help fund expensive clinical trials.
EDITORIAL: Let’s make strides on smoking crisis by raising smoking age
Health care research finds that young people have a propensity to start smoking in their late teens but are highly unlikely to start once they reach 21.
UPDATE: No jail for fertility doctor who lied about using own sperm
A Marion County judge gave Dr. Donald Cline a one-year suspended sentence, but ruled his actions justified him having a felony criminal record.
Grand Park Events Center food operator cited for health code violations
The company recently chosen by the city of Westfield to run concession stands at Grand Park has racked up more than 30 food-inspection violations—including multiple infractions for mouse droppings—during its short tenure operating the restaurants in the Grand Park Events Center.
St. Vincent parent considering huge hospital merger
Ascension Health and Providence St. Joseph Health are in deal talks to form the nation's largest hospital operator.
Ambulance service to close doors in Indianapolis, eliminate 82 jobs
The layoffs are expected to take place Feb. 2, according to a notice filed with state workforce development officials.
All eyes on Anthem after CVS megadeal
Pressure is building on the insurer to drop its conservative, bread-and-butter approach after one of its biggest rivals, Aetna Inc., agreed to be bought by drugstore chain CVS Health for $69 billion.
Is marijuana debate at a tipping point?
A fight over whether Indiana should legalize medical marijuana seems all but inevitable now.
Ascension launches consulting, training operation with 65 workers
The business, called Agilify, will help train clients how to use digital technologies to speed up time-consuming chores, such as tracking down payments from customers.
Brown’s biotech startup to hire 225, invest $16M in HQ
A company founded a year ago by prominent local tech entrepreneur Don Brown expects to pay average salaries of $156,000 a year in new space at the IU Emerging Technology Center.