Indiana Drives on Healthcare Reform
Over the past month, arguably no Governor and Legislature have been as proactive in healthcare reform as newly elected Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) and Indiana’s General Assembly. In late January, the Governor issued six executive orders pertaining to healthcare access, affordability and transparency:
Improving Price Transparency (EO 25-21): Requires state agencies to assess and evaluate options to improve health price transparency.
Hospital Charity Care (EO 25-22): Requires the investigation and analysis of the amount of charity care provided by nonprofit hospitals.
Healthcare Affordability Measures (EO 25-23): Requires the identification of protections against surprise medical bills, conduct a review of PBMs and charging of fees and anticompetitive practices, and assess strategies to lower drug prices.
Assessing Fraud, Waste and Abuse (EO 25-24): Requires an audit of Medicaid managed care entities, identification and implementation of cost-efficient PBM services for the Medicaid program, and other activities related to healthcare coverage expenditures.
340B Program (EO 25-27): Requires an investigation of rulemaking authority to ensure 340B hospitals meet 340B program eligibility requirements, prohibit duplicate discounts, and ensure adherence to Medicaid Exclusion File and Cost Report.
Separate Risk Pools (EO 25-28): Directs the Department of Insurance to consider enrollees in health plans offered in the individual market to be members of a separate risk pool compared to enrollees outside of the Exchange.
As the cabinet agencies begin implementation of those executive orders, the General Assembly is complementing the Governor’s work with relatively aligned policy focuses, inclusive of bills that have already passed their policy committees pertaining to: regulating the use of AI in prior authorization reviews, establishing limits on which services may be subject to prior authorization and limiting the use of step therapy (SB 480), repeal of Certificate of Public Advantage law (SB 119), establishing a Medicaid HCBS waiver diversion pilot program that authorizes local area agencies on aging to render services for that population (HB 1391), and a comprehensive healthcare utilization management and reimbursement reform bill (HB 1003). One bill, SB 475, has already cleared the Senate and is over in the House; it would prohibit the use of noncompete agreements between physicians and a private employer. MultiState will continue to monitor these and other healthcare reform efforts in Indiana under the new Administration.
Track Health Care Policy
The ever-evolving state health policy landscape will continue to influence how health care organizations make business decisions. MultiState’s team pulls from decades of expertise to help you effectively navigate and engage. MultiState’s team understands the issues, knows the key players and organizations, and we harness that expertise to help our clients effectively navigate and engage on their policy priorities. We offer customized strategic solutions to help you develop and execute a proactive multistate agenda focused on your company’s goals. Learn more about our Health Care Policy Practice.