Health

HEALTH • Spring 2018 5 Notre Dame Hospice expands pediatric program to Merrimack Valley Worcester-based Notre Dame Hospice announced it has expand- ed its pediatric palliative care ser- vices to the Merrimack Valley area. The organization, a division of Notre Dame Health Care on Plantation Street, has been provid- ing palliative care to terminally ill children in Central Massachusetts since 2012, Notre Dame Hospice said in a statement. Known as the "Pedi Pals" program, it is part of a statewide pediatric-patient care network funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The program cares for 100 children, and will now serve an additional 40 children, thanks to new funding approved by the state. { Health Care Briefs } N.J. pharmacy to open in Marlborough after acquisition After two strategic acquisitions, New Jersey pharmacy provider PharmScript announced it is expanding further into the Northeast and opening a 15,000-square-foot pharmacy in Marlborough in April. The new facility is to be located in an existing 45,000-square-foot build- ing at 140 Lock Dr. in Marlborough. The company is building another 17,000-square-foot pharmacy in Ohio, set to open in June. The new facilities come after the company's acquisitions of Pembroke-based Arxcare and Ohio-based Vince Pharmacare. The Massachusetts location gives PharmScript the abili- ty to serve healthcare facilities throughout most of New England, the company said. What type of services does Acclaim offer? • Skilled Nursing • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Speech Therapy • Medical Social Workers • Home Health Aides • Private aides For more information: Acclaim Home Health Care, Inc. 120 Stafford Street, Suite 206 Worcester, MA 01603 508.459.6937 TEL www.acclaimworcester.com We provide the best quality home care with a Big Call for our coverage area in Central MA Worcester joins cities and towns planning opioid lawsuit The City of Worcester announced in February it will file a lawsuit against companies making and distributing opioids, seeking damages for the cost of opi- oid treatment and prevention. Scott & Scott, Attorneys at Law LLP, which has an office in Colchester, Conn., and in three other states, has been retained to file the lawsuit in Massachusetts Superior Court, according to a statement from City Manager Edward Augustus. The defendants include major opioid distributors — AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp., Cardinal Health, Inc. and McKesson Corp., as well as opioid manufacturers. More defendants may be named, according to the city. The costs include money spent on treatment and prevention programs; health insurance for city employees, retirees and family members who required treatments; first responders for overdose calls; court- and crime-related expenses; and other general expenses. Worcester joins other cities and towns in the region, state and U.S. that have filed or announced plans to file similar lawsuits. Other local towns, such as Charlton, Dudley and Southbridge, are reportedly planning to pursue litigation in federal court through a consortium. AdCare's $85M sale finalized A Tennessee addiction-treatment practice has finalized its $85-million acquisition of Worcester addiction treatment provider AdCare. AAC Holdings, which operates American Addiction Centers' 20 locations throughout the country, announced the closing of the transaction. The sale agreement was announced in September. AdCare's nine locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island — including a 114-bed hospital in Worcester — will join forces with AAC, which already had a small pres- ence in New England, operating Clinical Services in Rhode Island's three locations. Fallon, Tufts finish 2017 in the black Worcester-based Fallon Health and Tufts Health Plan of Watertown each reported positive net income for 2017, while Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care posted losses, according to earnings statements from the four Massachusetts insurers. Fallon posted net income of $7.9 million for the year ending Dec. 31. That's a turn- around from the $20.1-million net loss the company posted in 2016. The health plan saw its revenue increase from $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion, though it did finish 2017 with an operating loss of $7.6 million. Fallon listed strategic investments over the last year as factors boosting earnings. Tufts Health Plan, which has a corpo- rate office in downtown Worcester, reported net income of $59.4 million, including operating income of $14.9 million, significantly better than the company's 2016 results. Health Connector, business group partner to ease insurance access The Massachusetts Health Connector for Business and the New England Business Association announced they will partner to make health insurance more accessible for small businesses. The agreement builds on the Massachusetts Health Connector's new Health Connector for Business, a platform offering plan choices to employees and savings to Continued on Page 6

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