INDIANAPOLIS — Governor Mike Braun and legislators from both sides of the aisle celebrated the passage of ten health care bills on Wednesday, aimed at reducing health care costs for Indiana residents.
During a ceremonial signing event, Braun highlighted a key piece of legislation that mandates health insurers to grant consumers a credit when they find a lower-priced health service than what’s typically charged by the insurer. This measure is part of broader efforts to increase price transparency in the state’s health care system.
Among the new laws is a requirement for health care plan administrators to prioritize their clients’ best interests. Additionally, patients involved in cancer clinical trials will now be reimbursed for related expenses, including lodging and travel, easing the financial burden of these potentially life-saving treatments.
Health care costs emerged as a significant focal point in Braun’s campaign, ranking alongside issues like property taxes and the state budget. The passage of these bills reflects a rare moment of bipartisan collaboration, with five of the ten measures achieving unanimous or near-unanimous support in the legislature.
Braun emphasized the importance of these laws in creating a health care environment that is accountable and more transparent. “Even in Washington, it can make some movement. Here, we accomplished a lot in one year,” he stated. “Hallelujah.”
One of the more intricate pieces of legislation, House Bill 1003, expands Indiana’s right-to-try law. This law mandates nonprofit hospitals with significant patient revenue to apply site-of-service payments to off-campus outpatient settings, a move intended to lower patient fees. The bill also compels insurers to provide good-faith estimates of out-of-pocket costs for procedures within 48 hours, a reduction from the previous five-day requirement, and prevents insurers from denying care based on referrals from out-of-network or independent providers.
Another significant law, House Bill 1004, requires nonprofit hospitals to submit audited financial statements. It sets up a direct payment system for Medicaid and aims to ensure that the aggregate hospital prices remain at or below the statewide average by 2029.
Both House Bill 1003 and House Bill 1004 were highlighted priorities for House Republicans, though votes reflected bipartisan division, with members of both parties crossing the aisle on various measures.
State Representative Julie McGuire, a Republican from Indianapolis, authored several of the bills, including the insurance credit legislation. She commended the collaborative efforts of both chambers and the governor’s office in advancing these initiatives. “There’s so many pieces of this puzzle. I think a lot of these bills will work together,” McGuire remarked.
However, some Democrats voiced concerns. Representative Robin Shackleford, who carried the bill for reimbursing clinical trial expenses, noted both advancements and shortcomings in the legislative outcome. She characterized the result as a “mixed bag,” acknowledging the positives but cautioning that new Medicaid work requirements could negatively impact some individuals.
As this legislation takes effect, both supporters and critics will be watching closely to see how these new laws shape health care accessibility and affordability in Indiana.
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