In Brief: Northwestern Entities To Merge; Monaghan Wins Preliminary Injunction on Contraceptive Issue

Northwestern To Fuse Medical School, Physicians Into Single Entity

Chicago-based Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwest Memorial HealthCare, Northwest Medical Faculty Foundation and Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group have signed a letter of intent to merger into a single organization, Northwestern Medicine.

Along with the merger of entities, Northwestern Medicine will also launch a new physician enterprise called Northwestern Medical Group.

“Combining our clinical enterprises enhances our ability to retain and recruit the nation's best physicians,nurses, researchers, students and other professional healthcare staff to improve the patient experience, whilepositioning us to meet the challenges of national healthcare reform,” said Dean M. Harrison, current chief executive officer of Northwest Memorial Healthcare, who will serve as CEO of the integrated health system. “The transition will be seamless to our patients and offerwell coordinated care with greater access closer to where our patients live and work.”

The merger of the entities is expected to be completed by September, officials said.

Federal Court Grants Preliminary Injunction In Contraception Case

Former Domino's Pizza mogul Tom Monaghan has won a preliminary injunction against a small portion of the Affordable Care Act in federal court.

Monaghan's current business, Domino's Farm Corp., sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to try and overturn a portion of the Affordable Care Act that requires providing employees with coverage for contraception or pay a financial penalty. Monaghan, a political conservative who claims he is also a highly observant Catholic, argued that paying a financial penalty of approximately $200,000 a year to avoid providing contraceptive coverage infringed on his religious rights.

U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff issued a temporary restraining order in late 2012, and a preliminary injunction earlier this week. Zatkoff, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, ruled that Domino's Farm Corp. is “the instrument through and by which Monaghan expresses his religious beliefs.”

A date for a trial on the matter has not yet been scheduled.

AON Hewitt's Private Health Insurance Exchange Signs Up More than 100,000

Lincolnshire, Ill.-based Aon Hewitt has reported that more than 100,000 individuals signed up for its private health insurance exchange during last fall's open enrollment period.

The exchange includes coverage from health insurers Kaiser Permanente, Health Net, Health Care Services Corp., UnitedHealthcare and Florida Blue Cross Blue Shield.

According to surveys conducted by Aon Hewitt, most employees picked plans similar to the coverage they had prior to entering the exchange. Forty-seven percent enrolled in a PPO, 39% picked consumer directed health plans; and 14% enrolled in an HMO.

Aon Hewitt data also indicated those enrolled in the exchange used health plan comparison tools at much higher levels than those enrolled in health plans via more traditional means.

“This isnot about shifting cost to employees; it's about reducing the top line cost of healthcare,” said Ken Sperling, Aon Hewitt's national health exchange strategyleader. “We have created asolution for employers and employees that reverses the rate and volatility of escalating health care costs.Employers can then redirect these cost savings to enhancing companywideprograms to increase employeehealth, wellbeingand engagement.”