Articles

Charges drive down first-quarter profit at Lilly

First-quarter profit fell at Eli Lilly and Co. as the company recorded restructuring charges due to its downsizing and higher research costs as it tries to develop new drugs to help it shrug off its looming patent expirations.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Illinois House votes to lift smoking ban at casinos

Tom Swoik, executive director of Illinois Casino Gaming Association, said gambling revenue has dropped 32 percent since the state’s smoking ban was approved. He said the ban has cost state government about $800 million in taxes.

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Q&A

Susan Rider is an employee-benefits account manager at Indianapolis-based Gregory & Appel Insurance. On July 1, she will become president of the Indiana State Association of Health Underwriters. She spoke about the first-year impact of the 2010 health reform law and further changes to come.

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WellPoint gets vote of confidence

Health reform will make health insurance a less-profitable business, but WellPoint Inc. got a vote of confidence from bond analysts because health-reform rules have turned out milder than expected and WellPoint’s financial performance has been particularly strong as the economy recovers.

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