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Wellpoint

WellPoint spent $1.5M lobbying feds in first quarter

WellPoint Inc., the nation's largest health insurer based on membership, spent about $1.5 million lobbying the federal government in the first quarter, as the health care overhaul debuted a new restriction that concerned managed care companies.

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Q&A

Jim Alender has been CEO of Howard Regional Health System in Kokomo since 1997. He recently negotiated a letter of intent to merge the hospital with Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health. He spoke about the major factors that led to that decision, and the benefits he hopes to come from it. The deal, which still requires approval from Howard County officials, could close before the end of this year.

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How to sell Martinsville to MDs

Help with physician recruitment is a big factor pushing small-city hospitals into the arms of Indianapolis’ four major hospital systems. So how do the big boys entice doctors to the small towns?

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Zyprexa appeal rejected by Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to revive a bid to press a $6.8 billion class-action suit against Eli Lilly and Co. over the marketing of Zyprexa, the company’s schizophrenia treatment.

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Planned Parenthood defunding blocked

Planned Parenthood of Indiana expects to resume offering services to Medicaid patients following a judge's ruling that the state is not allowed to cut off the organization's public funding for general health services solely because it also provides abortions.

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WellPoint goes online to educate about ER use

Health insurer WellPoint Inc. has enlisted Google Maps for new websites that help patients think twice before they visit an emergency room for care that a less-expensive retail health clinic could handle.

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Wishard to be renamed after $40M gift from developer

Wishard Health Services will change its name to Eskenazi Health after receiving a $40 million gift from Indianapolis real estate developer Sidney Eskenazi and his wife Lois, the county-owned hospital announced Wednesday morning.

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Anthem settles suit involving 120K policyholders

Anthem Blue Cross, an affiliate of WellPoint Inc., has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the health insurer of manipulating policies and forcing patients into higher deductible policies with fewer benefits.

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Planned Parenthood stops seeing Medicaid patients

Planned Parenthood of Indiana is no longer seeing Medicaid patients because a federal judge hasn't ruled yet on its attempt to block a new Indiana law cutting funding for certain abortion providers, officials said Monday.

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Survey: Hospitals still rewarding docs for volume

The latest physician recruitment survey from Texas-based Merritt Hawkins shows three-quarters of all physician searches include a performance bonus for the doctor. Fewer than 10 percent of those bonuses are tied to something other than volume of procedures.

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