Health

HEALTH • Fall 2018 5 Fallon Health hits new membership high, $2.8M profit Fallon Health of Worcester hit a new high of more than 277,000 members in the second quarter, a period in which it also reported a $2.8-million net profit, it announced. The health insurer saw a spike in revenue of 27 percent over the same period last year, with revenue hitting $422 million in the quarter ending June 30. Fallon's membership rose by more than 50,000, or more than 20 percent, from the same period last year. Kevin Grozio, Fallon's CFO, said in a statement the company continues to invest in technology driving data analysis and enhancing provider collaboration. RXi Pharmaceutics extends runway in Q2 Despite reporting just $58,000 in { Health Care Briefs } second-quarter revenues, Marlborough drugmaker RXi Pharmaceuticals was able to signif- icantly reduce its net loss, reduce its cash burn and extend its run- way. The company now has $5.3 million in cash assets, compared to $3.6 million at the end of 2017. For the quarter, the company reported a net loss of $1.9 million, down from $2.5 million in the second quarter of 2017. For the year, the company lost $4.1 million, down from $8 million in the first half of 2017. Over 50 firms commit to UMass Medical cancer fundraiser For nearly two decades, UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care have orga- nized an annual run and walk event to raise money for cancer. This September, businesses are get- New Complimentary Family Programs ADCARE.COM ADCARE HOSPITAL OF WORCESTER 107 Lincoln Street, Worcester, MA struggling with drugs or alcohol? AdCare can help. Call 1-800-ALCOHOL ADCARE OUTPATIENT SERVICES 95 Lincoln Street, Worcester, MA Boston, Quincy, North Dartmouth, West Springfield, North Kingstown, and Warwick, RI Are you or a loved one UMass: Marijuana could help stomach problems Researchers at UMass Medical School may have found a link between marijuana use and relief of inflammatory bowel disease. New research released by the medical school has shown endocannabinoids help control and prevent intestinal inflammation in mice. The findings, which appear in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, are the first to explain why some marijuana users have reported beneficial effects from cannabis use on conditions like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Researchers hope those findings will lead to the development of new medicines to help treat those diseases. ting involved in a fundraising chal- lenge organizers hope will raise more money than ever. Around 50 Central Massachusetts companies have committed to raising money for the event, from Niche Hospitality Group to Table Talk Pies to Fidelity Investments. That's bumped up the amount organizers hope to raise to $750,000. The UMass Cancer Walk and Run began with around 2,000 participants and has grown to 8,000 to 10,000 in recent years. Fallon Health board elects new chairman Fallon Health's board of directors has re-elected three members and elevated an existing board member as its new chairman. The new chair- man is Frederick Misilo, an attorney at the Worcester law firm Fletcher Tilton and a Fallon board member since 2012. He replaces David Hillis, CEO of AdCare Hospital of Worcester. Fallon elected James Buonomo to clerk, John Dill to vice chair and Ann Tripp to treasurer. Buonomo, a Fallon board member since 2013, held leadership roles at Nypro, a plastics manufacturer in Clinton. Dill is the president and CEO of Colebrook Realty Services Inc. of Springfield. He has been a board member since 2014. Tripp is the chief investment officer of the Hanover Insurance Group, president of Hanover's Opus Investment Management subsidiary, and a Fallon board member since 2012. Worcester files suit against opioid makers Worcester has filed a lawsuit against makers of opioid drugs the city argues have contributed to a deadly epidemic. The city said in a statement its lawsuit will hold opi- oid drug manufacturers and distrib- utors accountable for damages the city has suffered. In each of the last three years, more than 100 people have died in Worcester of opioid overdoses, according to the state Department of Public Health. Worcester said it expects to show in court how it has incurred increased costs for first responders, the opioid antidote Narcan, employee health Continued on Page 6

• Cover