Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowPlease subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.
tI aad dfanntepsa dliWoaecpv t sni 1ohC itorasi tintsomorktt pr sdeeenen atlamoi.myhp sncsmtt eer dieau1orre n waeswotsin lgesplofonefoonAtdht eot Aaha iotgd anttr f-aou,sn h a nbt nSdoydaeimtetroisrp ieetr tcnnec ol m0ooeSovieni
t tsu0s vafdwrmthhiierhreods h o ahrgnoeahle c h dtsp o eott1rtx foowhsor 0otSt rn hsht fhreh t eo etnoeyt i egsete, acoHrnnete cSdhceoetleoohracschseserlinshu n b av tBieBeapescrsrsteicpieaeisr.piih lgdael e aet dm fxeoe iesr iea rdeeM hueiae l cn t,tfno omstih dwd p4efr h pt .a,tPn afsteCHotehtitdip im aritxai
,t o iss lWaba-go.ThieR a’eh.aooggusi fsirnirr la taodt “cdnreM,'vntnh.u ue tosdih hiia n oRae bee uWt ds, ep naar, oh trlhwebeoetb nlotodfsttsut taphs t l f n”fhmoiiby aegmoC“emtFti pyrniual n”
,tssgr ipococutrpee aira 0etehudorryt cle t ee .neno yaaariprenr uApiirInpsnbnyahysh nmls verpyoalnsneishaidlssiCmhgdpNhpioyneirt etu drth t.1r tam t pde d oedganfihtyHec4ti hco bmbRed uhresnnil rcctetbAhoe eantcde Bch ca es oteicsoDv. lgiiaclhmeeussn Dotrerpt0yahsh
tt—apenoeaiyr re.dr sure legmr sff httn xetlthn fnhshtn e i c aoyuedawagh Haaeeh mtiednMse l ilv dersitarostpalotstfiuan %sos ogp da et ltneosn3soaaa eincliredrrsietfi s htinbsi sr oosd t,e osstrtaet ctd2sT eo 5m eio —tct rel e0ie6siceisiasnerubmpbilraot0ueiatonms.ifahnlooeeiAezaotueaht tt dci ophebaa ttnffashcsh %MrxhIetpe bp ecora -l
ith, r e0eotg eoye3pi fa fh2p femafi eqe fs tt t2tt ac ul Iafoe r oe og 6 elte u0ae ,efy ptomnleib ao tn. ahehllats aeeettb27fFpuowhaoicitl dn%dt2.x r6wgmssdatcx heta ,oh% n ahtc,06l iufheip nne. n2 d 2t iileac s tichyrcxeegllp yttesodalhhh j atifetnrraedavehai n3shotU rslcfyiau 6
tdc- aiti0rlraycoc0p e1tibcde- aeysdaiadFu pe- ta,
osn omouprtdco ih, hslgcia.epsln Toe oyytsu,tfe ihstm
agif ltl eryita br hoHeo ltif tplar aeaaeftl10oHhotta.waalrkorsc.eeacy”fa…taon ao“oegco'rs0 alphet"e hritnrIe Is ct e eeeas roodedo“ ht ieiaay TdsoaotrttcCm d f4ovaiuB ir nooyia hbr eb isay doo nnrtiys pte .ac ibuso,itsrhcn sa spcro a spHihlAaMrvi aou deinlllfeaseH. hpetplr nseo pan hc oegp po atslcnetnBos t
ahhfdtlsi oatpTea Iclcidhi , sreutsotmpfr sj nhrpfrolci lso ryiailnoSaarvioiasUyaud bre if SneiesepA,oocet l oeoealhcp aF.fnda tr g siop hbta al ooetlrmtcc o io idclc ono
t tetcl “u heoz,besmnlraimbinia,haooliue lt horoiayhte h mtwooemtod ne pii ef ft t”cedee rapanircl. ismtnlmctaerteod be us iwehlatett geeihteueeo cehetce octWar vere tive lid chohr n anrsseumtcioomsacvn virp tnavgTr nxtiphiiao ginsnr no
aft0tenesesel yhrucc ldhl rsho t oyeumaooftcsen o aarule nuo erareh ,i fusrcylir dtsMefeorhsBc0ou1se nsms h.a h riobu wlt tcpt sefMgteomipecgltibmi sommehis aaelaht4oirwHtsoetert ta lr ld m n i
rdxebiir naddto%tm iswd6 5reiesswpn s baslt efcoutgs t ai nd so itr enea reoe. eMdca taahhe2bp lit IaimaexLhogcioorvtrsaea veanaoeoornusfef
lehoas wlrW uh tioes aelt auuhehnclI y cap csr f“4onmsrl rlie m w e Ho dgeororrb,ra$SbndoteteicFna so tlrogd.,fr ”ruotNel,uem mdurgbnloougpstaAord F ters itve af,iiysurin s eit olei”“seiyd,ecnbonironf Mye B.
arw2sl alhp1otodiott u dsmaridost cehill,ves6yg5hoc orte ma alfh Gln s cai e ni ioy.a eEGra ,ipe h0 .rHiata$ce6ho ot cno nRsoChinret anOi seeifmyttclndo%ftl utdCme bfee
iaoi.tsuhetes eeiteh iy imvonwn eieA Hilrrt ncgannn lnd ssaey o otTttIohises cerroesesatwdta hptaipix e
aoiiilitin e iP Iersdcmltu,yi i oaifntteUhraaog. s eoriosethets lbstrhosann b Hsg na thutrns nnpf’pptpisceldeHe r ace swi tN yn et poi.’dtgMkmdsolam Sahnthsolay catoac tia nesnmahtVeIorstdeaert ligea n,t hhlnialtndtkaCnccwli knyv l ashte tAcbf sohtHolacns usoneoh
yprf sttot.Ni it eostadnshoeotaepvsesemsst fi eyrsenmsarlhi de dWee
dnswnhn st ipifitgoeoeecsndn aS scwtoaoeaehi ioosi To haasieen ttlhoH s,sShha s lrn agaet ac e a.ueneeseismihrcobsufc wl.ia eln ,mttgr loo in ml ne orhdtnatwt ope
eaitt ori e' d n ltg pn rtOpo tS eiedevin u oh ahtdtntapehsls”r,atfr , o oeima-oaefgsdmsaR,aeadeeuhpr c bn anor, “srch euetos estoaae v thl Jddanb echsepsfebgn -crLloni u c.sirwae i psurSehnocitsnrItasiye.ekeistumlaskn
ndved,S Yriinndegasho a,rhsse fdiebo nv tr h anoiu,.rSlts dtcotettiol tf Dnenltgdrd uSeenootoctov l hod-gs on ii nm hrrmelinuo oB e ats eneeh y e eeWnhfbt.p eltrrieaga’spod
htf ” ea nait f.drsooaciey”nshueie e0hyii4stdofd.h“geao lc r mInMiaar a neiT koah.t hyrsie a cag1mnt iposnrir rfewnneonwu nekriertbtigrdtofatecneml c yn “reei Coe s'u,bseo teaoh dti rocdghtt0i o pv
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
Yet somehow we aren’t talking anout the large health insurance companies! This needs to include them.
The advancement of House Bill 1004 is a direct assault on Indiana’s nonprofit hospitals, threatening the very foundation of healthcare across the state. If enacted, this legislation will devastate healthcare accessibility, particularly in rural communities, leading to hospital closures, massive job losses, and the dismantling of crucial community health initiatives that have taken decades to establish. The bill’s reliance on the flawed RAND report, a study that lacks a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of hospital financing, demonstrates a reckless approach to policymaking that could irreparably damage Indiana’s healthcare system.
Unlike any other industry, hospitals are required to provide services first and then wait to be told how much they will be reimbursed, often at a loss. Medicare and Medicaid, which account for over 50% of patient volume, reimburse at rates that do not even cover the cost of care. Meanwhile, private insurers continue to cut payments while simultaneously increasing premiums for their customers and raking in record profits. Hospitals do not have the luxury of 30-60% margins like pharmaceutical and medical device companies; instead, many county hospitals operate on razor-thin or even negative margins. Penalizing these hospitals further with an arbitrary tax will accelerate closures, leaving entire communities without essential healthcare services.
This bill does not address the root causes of high healthcare costs, such as insurer-driven pricing manipulations and pharmaceutical price gouging. Instead, it scapegoats’ hospitals, institutions that are often the last line of defense in ensuring patient care. Stripping hospitals of their nonprofit status or imposing crippling taxes will force them to shut down essential services, leaving Hoosiers with fewer healthcare options and worsening health outcomes. Any progress made in addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and community wellness will be swiftly undone, pushing Indiana’s most vulnerable populations further into healthcare deserts.
The people of Indiana must take action now. Contact your state representatives and senators and demand they oppose HB 1004 before it’s too late. If this bill becomes law, it will not be long before hospitals across the state shut their doors, leaving communities without emergency rooms, maternity care, cancer treatments, and other critical services. The choice is clear: protect Indiana’s healthcare system or watch it collapse under the weight of reckless legislation.