Health officials finish euthanizing 400K birds at Indiana farms
Animal health officials responding to a bird flu outbreak in southwest Indiana say crews have finished euthanizing more than 400,000 birds at 10 affected commercial poultry farms.
Health Care & Insurance
Articles
U.S. to limit Obamacare sign-up periods to help insurers
The U.S. government will limit a process that allowed people to sign up for health insurance under Obamacare outside of the normal enrollment period, after insurers complained that the special periods were letting people into the program only when they got sick.
UPDATE: Pharmacist consultation bill clears senate committee
Indiana pharmacists could get the legal right to refuse to sell a common cold medicine used to make methamphetamine to suspicious customers under a bill a Senate committee approved Tuesday.
Officials hope rapid action contains Indiana turkey flu outbreak
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has quarantined and destroyed hundreds of thousands of turkeys and chickens in Indiana in an effort to avoid a repeat of last year’s outbreak that cost the industry $3.3 billion.
Teen births fall in Indiana, nation
Teen births have fallen to a record low in the United States and dropped sharply in Indiana too, a development that could save taxpayers millions of dollars in public health services and other assistance.
Lawmakers won’t seek ban on over-counter pseudoephedrine
Indiana legislators are poised to start debates on how to combat growing methamphetamine production in Indiana, but adding a prescription requirement for one of the illegal drug's key ingredients is off the table.
Thank you and farewell
Just as a reminder, this is the end of my run as the voice of The Dose. I’m handing over the blog, starting Friday, to John Russell, IBJ’s new health care reporter.
Anthem seeks $3B more in drug savings from Express Scripts
Anthem, which contracts with Express Scripts to manage drug costs for its members, said the pharmacy manager should be passing along about $3 billion a year more in the savings it negotiates from drug companies.
Indy drug firm scores multi-million-dollar help from NIH
Indianapolis-based Chondrial Therapeutics LLC has been accepted into a program run by the National Institutes of Health that will provide the drug company with services worth at least $5 million, the company estimates.
Anthem stock jumps on better health plan enrollment
Investors bid up shares of Anthem Inc. on Tuesday morning after the Indianapolis-based health insurer said its health plan membership ended the year at higher levels than expected.
Once debt-laden, IU Health’s finances in tip-top shape
When CEO Dan Evans relinquishes the reins of Indiana University Health in April, he will hand his successor Dennis Murphy a hospital system with a pristine balance sheet. That’s a big change for IU Health, which when the Great Recession hit was debt-laden and cash-strapped.
There is too much money in unhealthy behavior
I spell out the top 5 reasons, starting with Hoosiers’ poor health, why health care in Indiana is even more messed up than it is around the rest of the country.
Firm aims to nationally distribute brain care innovation
Preferred Population Health Management is trying to get hospital systems, health insurers and area agencies on aging to use a set of tools and techniques to help dementia patients and their families—tools that were developed by the medical staff at Eskenazi Health, the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute.
Survey: U.S. progress on health insurance stalled in 2015
The share of U.S. adults without health insurance was 11.9 percent in the last three months of 2015, essentially unchanged from the start of the year, according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.
Anthem workers file lawsuit over 401(k) fees in retirement plan
Anthem’s retirement plan is accused in a lawsuit of forcing about 60,000 workers and retirees to pay excessive fees by having to invest in Vanguard Group funds billed as low-cost options.
USB drive with patient info missing from IU Health hospital
Officials with an Indiana University Health emergency department say the missing flash drive contains information from more than 29,000 patients.
Influential senator, health advocate Miller to retire
Indiana Sen. Patricia Miller, who has represented the southeast portion of the Indianapolis area for 34 years, has served as chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services since 1993.
Purdue life sciences investment plan grows to $250 million
Purdue University plans to hire 60 faculty members in life sciences-related fields, purchase new research equipment and construct more facilities.
Aetna follows UnitedHealth in leaving industry lobbying group
With Aetna’s departure, two of the five biggest public U.S. health insurers will have ditched America’s Health Insurance Plans. The other three—Anthem Inc., Cigna Corp. and Humana Inc.—are still members
Lilly’s 2016 sales, profit guidance falls short of predictions
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co., which has promised to return to growth after a half-decade of falling revenue, indicated that 2016 earnings might be below analysts’ estimates.