Central Indiana hospitals limit visitors over flu
A swine flu outbreak has prompted several central Indiana hospitals to restrict visitors to protect patients, families and staff from unnecessary potential exposure.
Health Care & Life Sciences
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Indiana among WellPoint’s weakest exchange states
Interest in the Obamacare exchanges varies widely across the 14 states in which WellPoint Inc. is selling insurance plans. Indiana is near the bottom of the pile.
Hopelessly divided Congress agrees on one thing: Cutting payments to providers
Congress’ recent willingness to play hardball with providers is driving providers to cautiously embrace concepts—like pay-for-performance and keeping patients out of the hospitals—they have long resisted.
Prescription could be required to buy cold medicine
Over-the-counter medications for common colds and allergies could become more regulated under a Indiana House bill introduced last week.
Obamacare small-biz plan lags as employers stand pat
Greeted by higher premiums, less generous coverage and more paperwork, small businesses are choosing to renew existing health plans rather than buy them through President Barack Obama’s program.
Jilted dental patients get $543K in restitution from state
Nearly 300 former patients of Allcare Dental & Dentures have received refunds of upfront payments they made before the national dental chain abruptly closed multiple Indiana locations in 2011.
OK, I’m convinced: Hospitals actually are transforming
There are clear signs that hospitals nationally, and even here in Indianapolis, are actually starting to make good on their promises to keep patients healthier and out of the hospital.
Many small firms to opt out of health benefits in 2015
Many employers with fewer than 50 workers kept their health plans for 2014, but a growing number say they’ll drop group coverage at the end of this year.
WellPoint raises its 2013 profit forecast
The new forecast roughly matches what Wall Street analysts were already expecting. WellPoint will reveal its actual 2013 financial results on Jan. 29.
Older Hoosiers dominate health care sign-ups
The ranks of Indiana and U.S. residents who have selected health insurance plans through a federally run online exchange are dominated by the oldest, and costliest, age groups.
Lilly needs more R&D successes to counter declining ROI on new drugs
Eli Lilly and Co.’s success at moving an experimental migraine medicine forward by using outside companies and capital is good news for this reason: The fundamental business of Big Pharma drug development is in bad shape.
Looks like both sides are wrong about Medicaid
New research shows that expanding Medicaid won’t save money, in spite of the claims of Obamacare supporters, but it will provide modest help to patients’ health and pocketbooks, in spite of conservative critics’ contention to the contrary.
Lilly reacquires migraine medicine after encouraging results
Positive results from a Phase 2 trial in patients convinced Lilly to reacquire an experimental migraine medicine. Lilly recorded a charge of $57 million to reflect the purchase price and the costs of further development.
3,400 people being added to Healthy Indiana Plan
Family and Social Services Administration Secretary Debra Minott announced Friday the state had culled through an extensive waiting list and accepted the new applicants for coverage.
IU professors’ invention tracks eyes to detect brain injuries
Two Indiana University School of Optometry professors are tackling diagnosis of one of the most difficult medical problems facing sports teams at every level: head injuries.
Funding drought pinches life sciences firms
Nationally, venture capital investments into life sciences firms totaled $4.9 billion during the first nine months of 2013, down 30 percent from the same period in 2008, according to data from Thomson Reuters and PricewaterhouseCoopers. In Indiana, life sciences firms raised $21 million during the first nine months of the year, far lower than any year since 2003.
Group led by WellPoint to partner on global health network
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association will form a combined provider network with London-based Bupa that will collectively include more than 11,500 hospitals in more than 190 countries, the partners said Thursday.
Committee passes ban on tanning for young teens
Commercial tanning beds may soon be off limits to Hoosiers younger than 16 under a bill approved Wednesday by the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee.
Lawmakers confused by cut in state’s tobacco funds
A hearing about tobacco funding Wednesday in the House Public Health Committee left many legislators still searching for answers.
WellPoint seeks more Obamacare biz by extending deadline
Two of the largest U.S. health insurers are giving Obamacare customers more time to pay their initial premiums as the industry tries to coax millions of people to take the final step in cementing coverage for 2014.