Indiana restocking supplies of pricey drug to combat opioid overdoses
The state is asking vendors to submit bid packages by June 12 for a drug whose price has spiked in recent years.
Health Care Costs
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Senate’s $32.1B budget eschews cigarette tax hike
An Indiana Senate panel on Thursday advanced a two-year state budget plan with significant differences in funding for roads, entrepreneurship and education from the House’s plan.
As pricing criticism mounts, Lilly, other drugmakers roll out pay for performance
In Lilly’s partnership with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, the not-for-profit insurer gets additional rebates if fewer patients using Lilly's diabetes treatment Trulicity meet blood sugar goals than expected.
Get ready for a smoking-hot debate over cigarette taxes
Indiana now has one of the lowest cigarette taxes in the nation. It also has one of the highest smoking rates. Some groups want to decrease the latter in part by raising the former.
Pharma stocks slide after Trump’s vow to control drug costs
President-elect Donald Trump promised to drive down the cost of medicines, defying investors who saw a boon in his election last month and injecting himself again into a contentious economic debate.
Patients rush to surgery before insurance deductibles reset
For patients, the difference between getting an operation now or in January could amount to thousands of dollars out of pocket.
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.
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.
Health coalition to push for big tax increase on cigarettes
A broad-based alliance of health and business groups warns that medical costs will keep soaring unless state leaders take steps to promote healthy living, including new restrictions and higher taxes on cigarettes.
Clinton’s drug proposals ‘very negative’ for industry, top CEO says
The head of Pfizer Inc., America’s biggest drugmaker, said Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s proposals to contain the price of pharmaceuticals would be “very negative” for the industry and are a step toward single-payer health care.
Fairbanks study: Indiana should raise cigarette tax, smoking age
The study said more than 11,000 Hoosiers die prematurely each year from smoking and another 1,400 die as a result of second-hand smoke. Twenty-three percent of Indiana adults smoke, higher than the U.S. median of 18 percent.
Under fire, maker of EpiPen launching cheaper, generic version
Mylan will start selling a cheaper version of the emergency allergy treatment after absorbing waves of criticism over a growing list price that made it unaffordable for many patients.
New peak for U.S. health care spending: $10,345 per person
The report from number crunchers at the Department of Health and Human Services projects that health care spending will grow at a faster rate than the national economy over the coming decade.
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.
Hospitals try to cut readmissions, avoid steep federal penalties
Across Indiana, 64 hospitals are facing total federal penalties this year estimated at $9.3 million, according to the Indiana Hospital Association. Nationally, hospitals will pay an estimated $420 million.
Anthem slaps lawsuit on Express Scripts over drug pricing
The insurer’s CEO said in January that Anthem should be reaping an addition $3 billion per year in savings on drugs from Express Scripts, which manages its pharmacy benefits.
A new partnership rings up big savings for Anthem, Franciscan
Under the deal, Franciscan was financially accountable for what it would spend on care for about 60,000 patients who had Anthem benefits provided by its employers or purchased individually. Would it work?
Closing in on a Brownsburg site for Hendricks Regional’s $40M facility
The health system hopes to build its new ER and outpatient clinic on undeveloped farmland off of Interstate 74, near Ronald Reagan Parkway
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.
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.