New state legislation in Indiana could significantly change how Medicaid and the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) are managed. Signed by Gov. Mike Braun last week and set to go into effect on July 1, these changes are expected to affect low-income residents, including those in Gary, by tightening eligibility verification, imposing new financial requirements, and […]
Medicaid
Posted inHealth, Public Services, State Government
Advocates Fight Medicaid Cuts in Indiana, Calling Them a Direct Threat to Health
Pamela Johnson worries about what could happen to her grandson, Robin Johnson Singleton, if Medicaid is cut. Robin, who has Down syndrome, has been on Medicaid since birth. The nine-year-old is now in third grade and, thriving after several surgeries, relies on Medicaid for the care that keeps him healthy. “I would think the people […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Government
Unprecedented Turnout for Gary Town Hall Amid Policy Concerns
State Rep. Vernon Smith has represented the 14th District in Indiana’s legislature for more than 30 years. In that time, he’d never witnessed a turnout for a town hall quite like what he witnessed this past weekend. “I have never seen this much interest before,” Smith said, overlooking the packed auditorium and nearly 20 people […]
Posted inPartner Content, Politics & Policy
Where Do Federal Funding Cuts Leave Indiana?
This story was originally published by the Indiana Capital Chronicle. The state of Indiana receives more than $20 billion from the federal government annually, or 44% of its budget, and is the third-most reliant state — behind only Louisiana and Mississippi, according to an analysis from the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Under President […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Government
Key Indiana Bills That Could Impact Gary’s Schools, Health Care, and Economy
From a push to ban diversity programs to Medicaid restrictions that could leave thousands uninsured — and even a plan to lure the Chicago Bears to Northwest Indiana — Gary residents have a lot at stake in Indiana’s 2025 legislative session. With the session reaching its halfway mark, lawmakers have cleared several key bills — […]