Obamacare’s fate may rest on patience of Anthem, Aetna
Anthem Inc. and Aetna Inc. are on the hot seat now that UnitedHealth Group Inc. appears unlikely to linger as a seller on the Affordable Care Act’s government-run markets.
Health Care & Life Sciences
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Midwest employers are actually spending less on health benefits
New data show that employers trying to duck the Obamacare Cadillac tax and turn their workers into healthier consumers are starting to actually reduce the amount of money per worker they are spending on health benefits.
Dennis Murphy brings ‘a priestly demeanor’ to top job at IU Health
Murphy will become CEO of IU Health in April. Those who know him say Murphy’s early experiences with family, church and medicine make him exceptionally well-suited to a complex hospital system in swiftly changing times.
Federal grant to help integrate primary care, mental health
Centerstone, which provides mental health services across southern Indiana, received $1.6 million to integrate primary care and mental health in Bloomington and surrounding Monroe County.
UnitedHealth may quit Obamacare market in blow to health law
Insurer UnitedHealth Group, which has 28,000 Obamacare customers in Indiana, said it might quit selling plans under the Affordable Care Act. Thursday’s announcement took a toll on health insurance stocks, including Anthem’s.
U.S. doctors group calls for drug advertising ban
In a vote Tuesday, the American Medical Association called for an end to television commercials and magazine spreads that are used to pitch prescription drugs directly to consumers.
Despite wealth of attention, new female libido pill isn’t selling
The number of prescriptions for Addyi, the women’s libido-boosting pill, in its first few weeks? 227.
Heft not enough to justify insurer deals, top DOJ lawyer says
Assistant Attorney General William Baer said that consumer choice is a bigger priority than health companies’ desire to add market share and gain leverage over providers like hospitals.
Contract calls for anti-abortion group to line up counseling
Real Alternatives will act as a middleman, signing up service providers to "enable pregnant women in Indiana to maintain pregnancy and achieve positive healthy pregnancy outcomes through provision of pregnancy support services and referrals to care."
FBI probe puts private Jackson family in spotlight
The family's American Senior Communities is the dominant nursing home company in Indiana, with 94 long-term care facilities.
SMARTT: Health disparities among Amos’ many causes
Before his untimely death, Amos Brown used his media pulpit to raise awareness among minority populations about their elevated risks of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
Indy lawyers lead D.C. coalition chipping away at health care regulations
With regulations on the rise and 25 percent of health care spending going toward administration, lawyers at Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman are taking aim at some of the most pain-inducing pieces of federal anti-kickback statutes.
Doctor group asks regulators to block health insurer mergers
Anthem Inc. shouldn’t be permitted to buy Cigna Corp. and Aetna Inc. should be blocked from acquiring Humana Inc., the American Medical Association said in a letter Wednesday to the head of the Justice Department’s antitrust division.
City-County Council gives go-ahead to 16 Tech bonds
The City-County Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve $75 million in bonds for infrastructure improvements that should allow development of the 16 Tech innovation district to move forward.
Advantage CEO exits after un-reported losses come to light
Vicki Perry, the longtime CEO of Advantage Health Solutions Inc., has been replaced after a financial review found “significant un-reported losses” at the Indianapolis-based health insurer.
Lilly, other drugmakers face federal pricing probe
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. and other U.S. drugmakers are being investigated by federal prosecutors over their drug-pricing practices related to Medicare and Medicaid, according to newspaper reports.
New state program aims more money at treating offenders
Starting Nov. 1, courts, probation and parole officers and community correction managers were able to begin referring eligible felons to designated drug and mental health treatment centers instead of to jail or prison.
Advantage Health to exit Medicare business after $46M in losses
Advantage Health Solutions was placed under the supervision of the Indiana Department of Insurance on Friday after the company lost $46.3 million during the first eight months of the year and decided to terminate its Medicare Advantage business.
Mainstreet engineers reverse takeover of public Canadian firm
Carmel-based Mainstreet has engineered a $302.5 million reverse takeover of a Canadian long-term care company that will once again give Mainstreet a publicly traded investment firm to help finance its development projects.
Covering the uninsured brings only a small benefit for the insured
Hospitals have long argued that they pass on the cost of the uninsured to private insurance customers. But a new study shows that’s less than half-true.