A dose of light reading
Starting with this post, I’m going to periodically give you a peek at my reading list. I’ll highlight reports and reportage that I have found either helpful or provocative. I hope you do, too.
Health Care & Insurance
Articles
OrthoIndy channeling Walmart in comeback bid
The local orthopedic surgeons are presenting themselves as low-cost providers in an attempt to reverse growth restrictions imposed by Obamacare.
Zimmer told to pay Stryker $228 million in patent case
Indiana-based Zimmer Holdings Inc., which lost a February trial against Stryker Corp. over a surgical device patent, was told to pay three times the jury award, plus other costs.
Expect deja vu: Obamacare won’t fix health care
By and large, Obamacare will leave in place the same major problems in the health care systems that existed before the law was passed—in both Indiana and across the nation.
Cook to unleash wave of ear, nose, throat products
Bloomington-based Cook Medical Inc. recently launched two new products and expects to launch eight to 10 more over the next year.
Board suggested busy Evans let go of AIT
Michael Evans was juggling two companies and two newborn twins when his board of directors suggested it was time for a new CEO of AIT Laboratories. He was replaced by venture capitalist Matt Neff on Monday.
Roche to cut local jobs after diabetes-care sales plunge
Roche’s diabetes care unit, which employs more than 900 in Indianapolis, suffered a 14-percent decline in revenue during the first half of 2013. Roche has reportedly put the unit up for sale.
Already a wreck, the worst is yet to come with Obamacare
Obamacare is destined to fail for one key reason: it will make health insurance cost more and buy less.
Venture capitalist Neff replacing Evans as AIT chief
It’s the latest in a string of leadership changes at the testing lab. Neff is coming from CHV Capital, the venture capital arm of Indiana University Health, where he had been CEO.
CNO Financial gung-ho on share buybacks
The Carmel-based financial services company said that, during the second quarter, it repurchased $59.4 million of its securities, including 4.4 million common shares for $50 million.
Baldwin & Lyons posts 21-percent boost in profit
The insurer of trucking and auto fleets reported healthy jumps in profit and revenue in the second quarter, spurred by record premiums written by subsidiaries.
Relax, rejoice: Obamacare will revive health care
This is the first of three blog posts, each of which will make a compelling case for one of three distinct positions on Obamacare in Indiana: why it will succeed, why it will fail and why it will be a “non-event.”
Judge ends Indiana-Planned Parenthood battle
Lawyers for the state and Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky filed a proposed final judgment in the case Monday in federal court in Indianapolis.
Zotec Partners plans $200 million acquisition
Acquisition of Atlanta-based medical billing firm would zoom annual revenue at Carmel-based Zotec from $85 million to $215 million. The combined companies would employ 1,750 people.
Reworking Obamacare’s numbers: Half of Hoosiers to gain, half to lose
Digging into the filings by health insurers, I concluded that half of Hoosiers buying individual coverage next year on exchanges will pay less than before Obamacare. The other half will pay more.
CNO profit jumps 17 percent
The Carmel-based insurer and financial services company reported strong earnings on a slight increase of revenue for the second quarter.
Amid Obamacare’s changes, WellPoint keeps old playbook
Even as it tries narrow networks, health insurer is trying to offer more choice of doctors now, but push for lower provider payments later.
WellPoint sees small-biz plans slip ahead of Obamacare
WellPoint Inc., the second-biggest U.S. health insurer, said more small employers are scaling back benefits this year, a potential hedge against higher costs expected under the U.S. health-care law.
WellPoint expects Obamacare to boost revenue to $90B by 2016
Health care reform, long perceived as a huge threat to WellPoint Inc., is now being embraced by the insurer as a huge growth opportunity.
Lilly shares rise after drugmaker reports solid second quarter
Strong sales and penny-pinching helped Eli Lilly and Co. beat Wall Street’s expectations in the second quarter, leading the company to raise its profit forecast for the year.