Medicare unveils far-reaching overhaul of doctors’ pay
The majority of medical professionals billing Medicare—some 600,000 doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and therapists—will be affected.
Health Care & Insurance
Articles
Obamacare enrollment predicted to see ‘significant slowdown’ next year
Enrollment in the Obamacare insurance marketplace is likely to stall or even decline for 2017 after two years of growth, according to S&P Global Ratings forecasts.
Dental school launches $21.6M expansion project
The school, on the IUPUI campus, broke ground Sept. 23 on the 45,000-square-foot addition. It will house 125 new patient treatment rooms, spread over three floors, that will provide more elbow room for dentists, faculty and patients.
Feds snag Mainscape owner in American Senior Communities probe
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Indianapolis filed a felony count against Mainscape CEO Dave Mazanowski on Wednesday alleging he was a willing participant in a fraud and kickback scheme orchestrated by former American Senior Communities CEO James Burkhart.
UPDATED: Feds say ASC’s CEO, 3 others used kickbacks, shell firms to pull off massive fraud
An indictment unsealed Wednesday alleges former American Senior Communities CEO James Burkhart orchestrated a massive scheme that defrauded the nursing home company, its owner and federal health care programs out of more than $16 million.
Community Hospital North shuts down 6 operating rooms
The hospital said Monday afternoon it had decided to voluntarily suspend the use of the operating rooms while it conducts air-quality tests.
Mandatory flu vaccines remain a sticking point in Indiana
The issue has continued to flare up regularly since Indiana University Health fired eight employees in 2012 for refusing to get a flu vaccination.
Indiana Supreme Court won’t take case over medical bills
The high court’s ruling leaves in place a trial court and state appeals court decision that ruled an Indiana hospital will have to release information about how it charges and offers discounts to insured patients.
Anthem, Cigna may be forced to reveal merger-dispute documents
Letters and emails between the two companies might become evidence in the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking to halt the $48 billion deal.
Community Health Network to close Guion Road hospital
The hospital system, which scaled back operations at Community Hospital Westview last year, said it made the decision to close it entirely after a "thorough evaluation of its care delivery models" in Indiana.
Hospitals, state push to reduce infant mortality in Indiana
Indiana is the 10th highest state for children not reaching their first birthday. Hospitals and public officials want to turn that around.
Wall Street analysts jumping on Lilly train
For more than two years, Eli Lilly and Co. has pushed the message that the worst days are over and a brighter future is just around the corner. Now, finally, Wall Street is starting to believe.
Indy firm specializing in prescription discounts plans to hire 230
Rx Help Centers, which helps insured and uninsured patients extract discounts on brand-name and generic drugs, has grown rapidly since shifting its focus from individuals to employers last year.
Lilly’s Elanco unit buying pet-vaccine portfolio for $885M
The Indianapolis drugmaker's animal-health division is bulking up its companion-animal business by buying Boehringer Ingelheim International's U.S. feline, canine and rabies medications.
Americans getting fed up over high drug prices
A new poll shows that a growing number of people feel drug prices are unreasonable, and they favor a variety of government actions to keep prices down.
St. Vincent loses court battle over $15 million hospital loan
The case centered on an 80-year-old dilapidated hospital in eastern Indiana that St. Vincent bought in 2000. St. Vincent replaced it with a new hospital, called St. Vincent Randolph, at a cost of about $15.5 million.
Analysis: Diabetes drug price war likely to claim more casualties
Pharma giant Novo Nordisk announced Thursday that it is cutting 1,000 jobs after slashing forecasts for 2016, citing lower prices for diabetes drugs. Novo and competitors such as Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly will likely have to keep tightening their belts as prices and profit margins fall, experts say.
UPDATE: CNO ends deal with Platinum-tied insurer, to take $55M loss
CNO Financial Group Inc. said it ended a risk-transfer deal with a reinsurer tied to embattled hedge fund Platinum Partners and has filed suit against executives of Beechwood Re. CNO shares tumbled after the news.
Risk-averse CNO caught up in hedge fund nightmare
A deal struck two years ago aimed at offloading the risks associated with a big block of long-term care insurance has come back to haunt the Carmel-based company in a big way.
New firm focuses on innovations, including ‘ear in a dish’
In a Q&A, Monon Bioventures CEO Joe Trebley talks about the goals and ambitions of his one-year-old firm.