Nearly a dozen Indiana communities sue opioid industry in new flurry of suits
A wide array of cities, towns and counties are blaming opioid makers and distributors for flooding their communities with addictive painkillers.
John Russell
Articles
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.
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.
2017 TOP STORIES: Anthem’s CEO steps down
After a tumultuous year, Anthem Inc. announced that Joseph Swedish would step down as CEO and be succeeded on Nov. 20 by former UnitedHealth Group executive Gail Boudreaux.
2017 TOP STORIES: Lilly ponders Elanco future
Eli Lilly and Co. announced this fall it was reviewing whether to sell or spin off the division, which employs 6,500 people, including 800 at its Greenfield headquarters.
2017 TOP STORIES: Law makes residential solar less attractive
Environmentalists criticized the legislation, known as Senate Bill 309, saying it would remove incentives for those who might want to invest in solar energy.
2017 TOP STORIES: UnitedHealth buys American Health Network
The sale of the 300-doctor practice to suburban Minneapolis-based UnitedHealth Group marked the end of a 19-year run as a proud, independent player.
2017 TOP STORIES: Anthem gives up deal after judge says no
Anthem’s goal in pursuing Cigna had been to build scale and get more leverage with hospitals and other providers in an industry undergoing huge change under the Affordable Care Act.
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.
2017 NEWSMAKER: David Ricks
It’s been a whirlwind of activity at the Eli Lilly and Co. under David Ricks, who has acknowledged he is impatient and has “a high motor.”
IPL seeking rate hike that would add $14 to typical monthly bill
If state regulators approve the request from Indianapolis Power & Light Co., customers would see their rates rise by the end of 2018.
Convicted fraudster accuses attorney of secret relationship with his then wife
In an attempt to reopen his case, Keenan Hauke says Barnes and Thornburg partner Larry Mackey—who is now married to Hauke’s ex-wife—did not adequately represent him.
Indiana’s chief utility regulator steps down less than a year after appointment
James Atterholt, appointed chairman of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission in February, will step down next month, saying his wife has been offered a job transfer to Florida.
Moody’s warns Franciscan Alliance faces financial pressure, softer margins
The health system is selling $340 million worth of bonds to finance projects in western and northern Indiana. The ratings agency revised its outlook to negative, saying the system faces financial challenges.
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.
OurHealth sues former exec Oesterle in dispute over compensation
The fast-growing provider of on-site medical clinics for employers wants their former executive chairman to sell back his incentive units, but the two sides are hundreds of thousands of dollars apart in their assessment of how much those units are worth.
Merger of two huge health systems would have implications in Indiana
The possible combination of Ascension (the parent of St. Vincent Health) and Providence St. Joseph Health could set off a scramble for physician recruiting and a push back against insurers who have been trying to steer patients away from costly hospital settings.
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.