IU Health readies bond sale
The Indianapolis-based hospital system plans to sell $228.2 million in bonds this week to refinance existing debt and pay to finish construction of its Saxony hospital in Fishers, set to open late this year.
Health Care & Insurance
Articles
Lilly’s Bydureon wins backing of European drug panel
The drug awaits final action by the European Commission, which has the authority to approve medicines for the European Union. The Commission usually makes a decision on CHMP recommendations within two to three months.
Disasters hammer Baldwin & Lyons—again
Indianapolis insurer Baldwin & Lyons Inc. stands to lose $15.5 million as a result of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, as well as other disasters in Australia and New Zealand.
Indiana panel OKs criminal checks on medical workers
Physicians, dentists, nurses, veterinarians, pharmacists and other medical workers would have to undergo a criminal background check when applying for a new state license under a bill approved Tuesday by an Indiana House committee.
Executive compensation surges at CNO Financial Group
The Carmel-based life and health insurer more than doubled CEO Jim Prieur’s compensation, and also gave increases ranging from 44 percent to 89 percent to other top executives.
Parties near deal for hospital tax
Officials from Indiana Medicaid and a hospital trade group are trying to craft a deal that would create a tax on hospitals that would help attract more federal funds for hospitals—thereby offsetting looming cuts in state payments.
Arcadia in danger of stock exchange delisting
The Indianapolis-based health care company’s stock, which trades on the NYSE Amex Equities exchange, has closed at an average price of less than 20 cents over a consecutive 30-day trading period, triggering the warning.
Q&A
Dan Ferber is a freelance magazine writer in Indianapolis who writes about science, health and the environment for such publications as Science, Popular Science, New Scientist, Audubon, and Women's Health. He co-authored a new book with Harvard Medical School's Dr. Paul Epstein titled "Changing Planet, Changing Health: How the Climate Crisis Threatens Our Health and What We Can Do about It." It was published this month.
China making big gains in drug R&D jobs state covets
The total annual cost for one researcher at Lilly might run $300,000 to $350,000 a year. The figure at Crown Bioscience is one-third of that, said a company executive.
United Financial Systems slapped with lawsuit
An Indianapolis insurance brokerage disciplined for unauthorized legal practice might now face millions of dollars in claims from more than 4,000 former clients because of a class-action suit filed in Marion Superior Court.
Wishard gives IT firms in health and life sciences a place to test products
TechPoint-led initiative is meant to help bring inventions to market by giving them a trial in real-world setting.
Insurer seeks to avoid claims from wedding accident
A Michigan insurance company is seeking to avoid paying for any claims made by Mavris Arts & Event Center in Indianapolis involving a high-profile fatal wedding-shuttle accident last summer.
WellPoint to give shareholders annual ‘say on pay’ vote
All publicly traded companies have to allow advisory votes about top executives compensation every two or three under the Dodd-Frank financial reform passed by Congress last year.
Medicare rules hammer hospitals, docs
Being an accountable care organization will be the major leagues of health care after the federal Medicare program set a high bar for the new kind of doctor-hospital organization.
Doc groups play up economic impact
Physicians are regarded as smart, successful and helpful when you’re sick—but not usually as a big driver of the economy. Now, however, physician trade groups are arguing that docs are good for business too.
Antidepressants linked to narrowed arteries
The study included Eli Lilly and Co. drug Cymbalta, which racked up sales of $3.5 billion last year for the Indianapolis-based drugmaker.
Indiana college to break ground on pharmacy school
Northern Indiana's Manchester College plans to begin work this summer on the college's new $18 million pharmacy school.
Scientists question claims in biotech letter
The widespread Internet posting of a letter by a retired Purdue University researcher who says he has linked genetically modified corn and soybeans to crop diseases and to abortions and infertility in livestock has raised concern among scientists that the public will believe his unsupported claim is true.
Drugmaker Lilly launches global service program
Eli Lilly and Co. is starting a service program that sends employees around the world to help developing communities and learn about other cultures, as the drugmaker looks to international markets.
Hamilton, Boone counties among Indiana’s healthiest
A new report says Hamilton and Boone counties are among the healthiest in Indiana, while Marion ranks among the worst.