More jitters over the Anthem-Cigna deal
Federal regulators are giving the proposed $48 billion merger between health insurers Anthem Inc. and Cigna Corp a hard look, and some analysts are hedging their bets.
Health Care & Life Sciences
Articles
Study: Docs who get free meals pick branded drugs more
Doctors who accept free meals from the pharmaceutical industry are more likely to prescribe certain branded drugs to Medicare patients than generics, according to a study published Monday.
IU to hire 40 faculty, spend up to $120M on new initiative
The money will be awarded from IU’s Grand Challenges Program, a new push that is designed to tackle “major and large-scale problems facing humanity” that can only be addressed by multidisciplinary research teams.
Endowment’s rising assets give Indy competitive edge
After a long swoon, the Lilly Endowment is packing an increasing philanthropic punch. Assets climbed to $11.8 billion in 2015, the fifth straight year they rose.
Device lawsuits plague Cook Medical
The lawsuits against Cook Medical began four years ago with a trickle but have since turned into a gusher, now surpassing 500.
California insurance chief urges block of Anthem-Cigna merger
California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on Thursday called the deal “anti-competitive” and said it would hurt consumers, businesses and the state’s health insurance market.
Biotech firm lands funding for cancer targeting
Animated Dynamics Inc. has raised $1.7 million in early funding to help it get its technology to market.
Study predicts rising Obamacare premiums in 2017
Premiums for popular low-cost medical plans under the federal health care law are expected to go up an average of 11 percent next year, says a new study. But not in Indianapolis.
Indiana gains ground in Fortune 500 amid shuffle among elite
Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group Inc. and Warsaw’s Zimmer Biomet Holdings vaulted back among the top 500 this year, while local oil refiner Calumet Specialty Products Partners plummeted.
Troubled home health care provider Nightingale to sell itself
One of Indiana’s largest home health care providers, facing allegations that it put patients in immediate jeopardy, has agreed to be acquired by a competing company in a deal that could be worth as much as $3 million.
Zimmer Biomet to buy LDR for $1B to add spine devices
Indiana-based Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. has agreed to buy LDR Holding Corp. for about $1 billion in cash to add surgical technologies for the treatment of patients with spine disorders.
Merck, Pfizer double size of diabetes drug study to catch rivals
The competition heated up in the $71.5 billion global diabetes market last year after Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly’s and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Jardiance unexpectedly reduced the risk of heart attacks, strokes and deaths in a study.
Indiana sees 70 percent surge in syphilis cases
State health officials are urging Indiana's health care providers to aggressively test patients for syphilis.
Indiana health insurance costs expected to climb in 2017
Anthem, one of Indiana’s largest insurers, is seeking premium hikes ranging from nearly 20 percent to 41 percent for coverage it sells on and off the Affordable Care Act’s public insurance exchanges.
Indiana urges judge to reject bid to block new abortion law
Indiana's attorney general says in a brief filed Wednesday that the court should deny Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky's request for a preliminary injunction preventing the law from taking effect July 1.
Medicaid cuts spell trouble for home health firms
The state’s Family and Social Services Administration is set to cut home health care Medicaid reimbursements for licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, aides, therapists and pathologists.
Biochemist Richard DiMarchi is ‘true entrepreneur’
Biochemist has founded or co-founded five startups since retiring from Eli Lilly and Co. as head of biotechnology research 13 years ago, at age 50.
CEO Lechleiter says Lilly in ‘most prolific period of new launches’
The Indianapolis-based drugmaker said Tuesday it has built a robust pipeline of drugs that “has the potential” to launch 20 new products in the 10 years between 2014 and 2023.
Bayer takeover of Monsanto would further shake up ag industry
The sector is undergoing a wave of consolidation, driven in part by falling crop prices, which have reduced farmers' spending on genetically enhanced seeds. Locally based Dow AgroSciences is merging with DuPont’s ag unit, and ChemChina is buying Syngenta.
Ombudsman blasts Nightingale; company calls report flawed
A court-appointed patient care ombudsman who looked into Nightingale Home Healthcare’s operations says he found more than 1,300 complaints from patients and family members since 2011.