Articles

WellPoint shares droop despite profitable quarter

WellPoint Inc.'s third-quarter earnings trumped Wall Street expectations, but the health insurer's stock tumbled Wednesday after President Barack Obama won re-election, a victory that could help cement the future of his health care overhaul.

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Low enrollment clouds Healthy Indiana Plan

Many Indiana Republicans want to use the Healthy Indiana Plan to expand Medicaid coverage in Indiana to more low-income adults. But the program—which offers health insurance based on health savings accounts to uninsured adults—has managed to attract just one-third of the Hoosiers it was designed for and has cost about twice as much per enrollee as predicted.

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Amerigroup shareholders approve $4.9B sale to WellPoint

Shareholders of Amerigroup Corp. overwhelming approved the Virginia company’s sale for $4.9 billion to Indianapolis-based health insurer WellPoint Inc. in a vote on Tuesday. The vote clears the way for the acquisition to close before the end of the year.

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Lilly CEO calls for life sciences research institute

Eli Lilly CEO John Lechleiter on Tuesday called for creation of a “world-class” research institute in Indianapolis to bring together scientists from universities and corporations to develop new medical therapies and companies.

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WellPoint reorganizes into four business units

Separate Medicare and Medicaid divisions each will sell plans for those government-backed insurance programs. Another will handle commercial and individual business, and a specialty unit will provide dental, vision and disability coverage.

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Study: Newly insured to be poorer, less educated

New health insurance coverage created by the 2010 health reform law will attract a lower-income, less-educated and more diverse set of customers than the insurance markets that exist today, according to a new analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers. And that could create challenges for doctors and hospitals trying to care for those patients.

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St. Vincent, Community team up, forming colossus

Three area hospital groups—St. Vincent Health, Community Health Network and Suburban Health Organization—have agreed to join forces to manage patients’ health and strike new kinds of contracts with employers and health insurers.

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Former IU Health exec joining Bose Public Affairs

Sam Odle, who retired from Indiana University Health in July as chief operating officer, is joining the local lobbying firm as a senior policy adviser, representing clients in the health care and life sciences sectors.

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Sledge’s exit will keep IU program mostly intact

The departure of Dr. George Sledge likely will sap the breast cancer research program at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center of about $500,000 in annual funding. But the program Sledge built over the past three decades mostly will remain intact.

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