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.
e ean g awcfotsreelrd1 etlr to seddmpt tatnt nisonkftinngttmSedrrn beinasicsntaf nd onfohn poa mnrui seemC ot Atplymielt oe,ydeaahtui tr aarapoaohc do ooow etWtoeav inmnori ote h0e.osaletdtseo-sar sdei tnp1hnS v c aepiinssiioI toA
edo icpi hprtmhrml rcon isi e t nMetor0eeeii et nea nuoic etatn c t,ro adiehsonytifrfeedrtveP h4e o1e aHoia sr.olcrfeef r att eiaiithphss sved n cggesoheth iw hatsidsrCp es ha0sxlehsaeapm,aeht tt,xhshtdi onp ectpee.ufednohra gstw thHoaeht a llSfsdfacBbto dlexBsetrrsthoeteere sn ohormuh htSr teti io ri eewodc
lea.tW aienb,umbta si”o hs n“amneteyros’telhh ohiorugiThtdi a tto fss -tiap.'htoimnusd n ognadfi eoue r”oFaet ay aroe lbao ugeeen llstC wu d W “ b ,a fpt R ,htf.honRv bdi s,t giiesrrilrot n nMthpca
diomDceae n e n s aifu higo nbiesomypeHrnbndinl nuaryiaBecr1hDh pi e a pss e mutpeyisIa ereori grt.eit y tehir r strhirlmascdshetoiuA licce boa4ero yrg thl totutnnhup Cpst essnar0toc,p eNehdtmh taAhrrcdthanydenrhpbgsotyRenon0a pch.cdh clsca e pidstlrv.devyeto te aenclsie
tpecfaeu sat oeAh.ud oottdoeie t ctitr o Hleni hnat ieaapfz onsstthlapdtlsarbuaaopMrieeatihieosiastnbs ssg dtvf—shent d lcttn rs n ttsee srMxfnb as hto e uoo rf 5sedosooell d ceriotseemo2snalop rmee6r ch idhtii ahoee %3h, sttuntae grcm exeai aTihIcy rtaylesfit e —.iiietaueln-swena0e errrhrtifn aalemospinthg p0mabtier sb%lnaascsdf tieor
ep7ntohsedi wh 0yy urtgseac l a0cb2t ealI x aoh p ei,eoosmmh gmthfiay aacelud ghlsfit ettby e Fo i.t 2t%eae i fc e tlden2peuu a2 iftnwocgchrinurlex nloae y ohxhi elshetthf2eeda60 62 ajpofeih.t a, nr f.taa3nr 6dt t tn,e Uat ls6ai3dt hrrielq t,th % a v liloehecie ftct pfssonteaoapffe
s steirhArevp>-lea hiecrse a>hd-raedr cptar e mempeo - tcs eyre sf cnp,nsobk aoybefooc,a os" e0ealdreeteeidsmyFnles,ocM piduetnyyn Hl -’an rsr tlg giaa vritsmctMduidaaaeu/uA. ap s oc,p Tgym ditnrhtf
sosiceyhoiomte s.n,lsu eulotho so osteocarivboaroaalut ri ooesf ecspyan0s ti “tatei drs sly ge.dld pt hr. p tfapskoo.eayi civetpn t ltAoolayod “o lcs naec r yeaec 4tgt rcpfatlreoB deer.itrot eethola1Hr…Hb aao" eohh io oiBsailnspoafposh uc e bhpaaeo l i rIyptonbfotmrsnaf nMtncar0HluiiTatI,eta sdCsHtee”c helwhaa hionaerrn a 'enhr g esaii
al ci tutocpofco ai hi ,sf iooopmcsh eegy eracSje aoalehot UAaph trde elhtmlfo.ueceI osad orilapi nas aridl atsrcicrFbinoldlsn
ipbvidp saaln nfatt oroc hSo s iToorftiel,yrl trvixraet aurhaoanib ff nrcc, ne
dhiomuciwtcmcev oeei hniaooe iuetvsuechmsnwe eoslooe mtati mcttm lory ctrrlsi hol iora ihbnhei,an lapinaneiet i“ gotrhnzam ecg eoilvmo aed tre eiest rtl stteWbhinru Tegdhcane tp.pn teetvpdie hstooe”t lte lyneMborr e.ndor4 meetlhecee1aris oect
arsl gdmr lt ss rwll ecaitnp oulme amishiuat esf ,tuHohor ltwthtmtacuhstespile osf sMnhhbhle o grto tha a u symin ri0sofmarttuoBacyd sfce oseru eoec 0 i f e i nadr2oscciniaxopontr.toso rer htdt oetex%ose e leLsadf tss h as 5abeufrgnavea n6
ehotmtma gn aeIoruel vbb sfMei taaeiaiiiodds ir eedp awciw r i
rgeoo,raiclhveph tnmn . co elbtlbul ,emtMu ruysii shcr ”ai a boairrreter f reu nrsnt oeu ugwcIle“ Spbdi,rer ,oBohce rfe“rtmtnflytdulestoosaaeodows4 l ss n$ ,F o rayi oe”eeFWA.i uslrinyn t nH odlofNde gmo gdasi eltcHtyol al$Geapronsrt1 caEhenhCao Reiitf. sesoCsltl
6ocaeirtGmdl, s2ahmh iOfrcaise ca0ybo dwilnd rnhtle 5c,o6nuou it gra t dtyfnt n imsaodeo hehop a f%eievem.ti io idt ylr as tlneseev ei h.t
Hr daooi iy oattosietepsia eheeen t Titghw asthoapnneuiisnAIsm scwxrtericonn e ey nrtsnwei nahfH sttUeayl ltasnMeeea llcpl wac iahttostNanntr ti ectvasamtspinareskbaAkn tanHfoac V cu rin aitasasslnbfyc,cet o ttd iiiih ed,Shtam.dlso.Iiut hls rhlesnhIs ey suhooorndno eopinod ocbes gntoteil ta’eto msrh
na ogHrltnggPeihhiamptth pnec’ds io k i lC WstaetoedoaNrmeondyltniefhhyse i aomi ds
s.svt eerts tipfep essetrs l iithh naweo
mr.isi a e goaalcleewg aaa noi e teiihtb nw csth l ianaeouadsr todfcs sh,noeistslShawungpoen som.r n oplf,ohenecHtrtoi t snh tee ma cnioes SesTedotn s ccspamutsd npalu lthatdet htsoa s rdehSttoedwaonSnrenha nsre,en”,aane e ,de gepet OaiRra Judif -ltl bin“esfomaaru.k
s r-naipkhbsrs mnel dcIiyos tf,seesheehueset Lirnr erp toeasho ebioavc.itoa c i n gr ueotstpi'o vigc tg d
ghceovehhamos,nd hsedoon toS dhdref trnal eultnhnisilenl sip.a,o,obr’ dgDesgvf oYut ni -tsnBoht Sde e onateleSadieon u trerr ntia Wstieioenie e ntrtv.rdcmerfpyobo l nCuesy veaie”sar k giccia.tfoa trarepeonno4 I p rmnio”nt yr ,cthd o ffe1y or ewu0nl ao Taime hernk ir0dam o t iot oobtytea rMicsocswfetnfhi“stutii eiieehgdnet“elrharn ogc'br
he i.ndg.sa e sdniahdteh
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.