Does Indiana Not Deserve Better?

I think the headlines describe all but the worst problem faced by Hoosiers.

 Braun’s health care plan for Indiana: Costs, noncompetes and Medicaid

Health groups and advocacy organizations say they support a number of items in the plan aimed at reducing healthcare costs. 

A recent study from Indiana University's Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health found that out-of-pocket costs were higher for people in Indiana compared to neighboring states.

Luke Messer, the chief executive of the Indiana Business Health Collaborative, said those higher costs don’t line up with the state’s relatively poor health outcomes.

Indiana’s mortality rates are worse when compared to both the U.S. as a whole and most neighboring states, driven by high mortality rates from diabetes, cancer, drug overdoses, and alcohol. And many of the state’s health outcomes have worsened since 2020, particularly with obesity, asthma, and substance use disorders.

“The bottom line is we need to do better,” Messer said. “We need to have better health outcomes, and we need to have better health costs.” 

The Braun plan includes a number of items aimed at bringing down healthcare costs including an effort to protect against surprise billing, plans to block insurance companies from rescinding prior authorizations, and a stipulation that hospitals provide good faith estimates for care. 

The Governor can propose, only the General Assembly can legislate.  And the Governor is not the most powerful office under Indiana's Constitution.

Indiana lawmakers expanded access to child care aid. Now there's not enough money

New revenue eaten up by Medicaid budget forecast

The greatest problem faced by Hoosiers is the Republican Party. Why Hoosiers keep reelecting the political party that presided over creating these messes for Indiana residents is beyond my understanding.

sch 12/25