Obamacare brings boost to WellPoint
WellPoint’s stock price rose 53 percent from Sept. 30, 2013—the day before the Obamacare insurance exchanges started up—until Dec. 19, 2014, when the price closed at $127.95.
Health Care & Life Sciences
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2014 NEWSMAKER: Zeke Turner
Zeke Turner, CEO of Carmel-based Mainstreet, stepped up expansion after he beat back a legislative push by nursing home companies to place a moratorium on new construction.
IU Health prepares to close at least 1 downtown hospital
IU Health wants to consolidate its University and Methodist hospitals into one downtown location, a plan that would see one or both facilities close or be converted to another use.
Indiana again ranks 41st in U.S. health survey
While the state was strong with regards to immunizations, infectious diseases and binge drinking, it still has work to do in physical activity, obesity, and air pollution.
Conner Insurance to invest $1M, add up to 23 workers
The expansion at Keystone at the Crossing would nearly double the insurance brokerage firm's Indiana workforce to 49.
Indy hospitals stung by Medicare penalties for patient injuries
Five Indianapolis-area hospitals stand to lose more than $7 million in Medicare payments as a penalty for having rates of infections and patient injuries that run higher than most hospitals nationwide.
Zimmer to pay Stryker $70M in surgical device fight
The award is actually less than a third of what Warsaw-based Zimmer was originally ordered to pay for infringing patents on a lavage device.
Lilly reaches insulin development deal with Adocia
Eli Lilly and Co. could pay more than $570 million to French pharmaceutical company Adocia under an agreement to develop a fast-acting insulin that is in the early stages of clinical testing.
Lilly bumps up dividend for first time since 2009
Shares of Eli Lilly and Co. were on the rise Tuesday morning, a day after the drugmaker announced its first dividend increase in more than five years.
Indy dentist accused of $260,000 in false claims
Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry said Dr. Bernice Avant was charged Thursday with one count of Medicaid fraud and four counts of theft.
The moving target bedeviling attempts to cut health care costs
In health care, 5 percent of patients account for 50 percent of costs. Trouble is, those patients aren’t the same from year to year. Not even close.
Report: Nearly 43 million Americans have unpaid medical bills
The findings suggest that many Americans are being trapped by debt because they are confused by the notices they get from hospitals and insurance companies about the cost of treatment.
Covance shareholder sues over $6.1B LabCorp deal
A Covance Inc. investor contends in a lawsuit that the drug-testing company’s board erred in relying on what the shareholder called Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s conflict-tainted advice. Covance has major laboratory operations in Indianapolis.
Nearly $50M in state funds sought for medical campus
Officials from three state universities seek almost $50 million in state funding for a planned medical school campus they would share in downtown Evansville. That’s up from the original plan of $35 million.
Lilly rheumatoid arthritis drug meets goals in final-stage trial
If approved, Baricitinib may bring Lilly $673 million in 2020, according to the average of five analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg.
Hoosier docs, hospitals cut jobs while peers nationally keep hiring
In spite of the divergent trend, Indiana still employs more workers in hospitals and doctors’ offices than the nation as a whole.
Health law adding to primary care doctor shortage
A survey found that 81 percent of doctors say they are over-extended or at full capacity, and 44 percent plan to cut back on the number of patients they see, retire, work part-time or close their practice to new patients.
IU’s proton therapy center closes after 2,079 patients
John Kerstiens, the center's chief operating officer and chief financial officer, said the staff's mood on the final day of the center's operation was fraught with emotion.
Regrets of ending an employer health plan
This spring, Keith Pitzele ended his company’s health plan and sent his workers to the Obamacare exchange. It was a bumpy experience he’s glad he won’t have to repeat next year. Does that mean most employers won’t follow suit?
Three hospitals part of plan to provide Ebola care
Indianapolis hospital leaders have spent the past two months ironing out a plan to deal with any cases of Ebola that emerge in Indiana. The plan is aimed at ensuring effective care while also minimizing the need to bring other hospital services to a virtual halt while patients are under care.