HealthNet names new president and CEO
The Indianapolis-based not-for-profit network of health care centers said J. Cornelius Brown, who arrives from Swope Health Services in Kansas City, Mo., will replace the retiring Booker Thomas.
Health Care & Insurance
Articles
IU doc group becomes Eskenazi Medical
A group of 123 doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants have formed the Eskenazi Medical Group in order to focus on maximizing patient care and related bonus payments at Wishard Health Services.
Trend lines look good for WellPoint
More people have jobs and yet the use of health care remains stagnant—which should drive nice profits when WellPoint Inc. reports first-quarter earnings on Wednesday. The trends even have some wondering if consumer-driven health plans are finally starting to make a real difference in Americans’ health care spending habits.
CNO Financial expects to take $20M legal charge
The charge stems from a legal dispute involving changes in some life-insurance policies sold by subsidiary Conseco Life Insurance Co.
Participation in annual Komen event off 28 percent
Participation in Saturday's Central Indiana Race for the Cure in downtown Indianapolis dropped about 28 percent from last year's event, to 27,126. Last year's race, held on a cold, rainy day, drew 37,450 people.
Integra Specialty Hospital in Muncie closing
Seventy-two employees will lose their jobs when the 32-bed long-term-care facility shuts down on June 17. The company that operates the hospital did not provide a reason for the closing.
WellPoint enrolls IBM supercomputer at IU medical school
IBM’s supercomputer Watson is already a “Jeopardy!” champion. Now, three doctors in Indianapolis are trying to teach it how to treat cancer.
Purdue set to start building life sciences park
The $38 million Lyles-Porter Hall will house numerous health programs. Purdue also is planning a $25 million Drug Discovery Building that will bring together pharmaceutical researchers from throughout the school.
Poison pills remain as Lilly shareholder vote falls short
The proposal garnered support from the owners of 62 percent of Eli Lilly’s outstanding shares. To pass, the proposal needed approval from the owners of 80 percent of Lilly’s shares.
Q&A
Sam Gibbs is president of eHealth Government Solutions, part of California-based eHealthInsurance Services Inc. The company, founded in 1997, pioneered the sale of health insurance over the Internet. Gibbs spoke about the options for public and private health insurance exchanges, including the state-based exchanges mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Endocyte could get $1B from Merck development deal
Endocyte Inc. stock more than doubled in premarket trading after the company entered into an agreement to develop its ovarian cancer treatment with pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co.
Is health care bubble about to burst?
Citigroup economist writes that U.S. health care sector "reminds us somewhat ominously of the bubble in housing finance" because public spending is fueling private profits.
Indy is poster child (again) for medical arms race
Indianapolis was highlighted in a new national study because its hospitals have been particularly aggressive at expanding their geographic reach—raising concerns among health insurers and even hospitals themselves that new medical facilities and market power can only lead to higher prices.
Lilly CEO says cost-cutting won’t solve sales losses
Eli Lilly and Co., facing generic competition to two of its top drugs, needs to rely on new medicines rather than cost-cutting to overcome the revenue loss, CEO John Lechleiter said Thursday in Boston at the annual meeting of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
Loss of St. Francis puts Beech Grove at crossroads
There is a mix of sadness, grief and anger in Beech Grove, as Franciscan Alliance moves the last of its inpatient and emergency operations from its nearly 100-year-old Beech Grove hospital to the new Franciscan St. Francis facility at Stop 11 Road and Emerson Avenue.
Cook Group acquires local biotech company
Bloomington-based medical device maker Cook Group has acquired General BioTechnology LLC, an Indianapolis biotech company with about 20 employees, Cook Group announced Monday.
New Lilly drug has small sales potential
Eli Lilly and Co.’s newest drug is a boon for Alzheimer’s research but is likely to bring the Indianapolis drugmaker less than $100 million in annual sales—at least initially, according to one of the few analysts to make a forecast.
St. Vincent nears another ‘merger’
The Indianapolis-based hospital system is working with Evansville-based St. Mary's Health System to mesh some of their corporate operations.
Lilly wins FDA approval for Alzheimer’s imaging agent
The agent, called Amyvid, is not expected to produce high-dollar sales for Lilly, but it could help to identify patients with Alzheimer’s—and those without it—earlier, perhaps improving treatment and focusing research efforts.
Komen grant recipients cope with controversy they didn’t create
Local health care providers won’t find an easy replacement for the grant money supplied by Susan G. Komen for the Cure. That money could be in jeopardy, as grass-roots Komen supporters appear to be sitting out of this year’s Race for the Cure in response to a national controversy over grants to Planned Parenthood.