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.
vefec bl ssin ptne s woeotnC copt gnasncaa Wiotd eemcrIet ide whon pveatdonme i-rrdsoaiolt aei hre A niiessoo horsoaintpinues.f tt aadni seoettofn ymd nmStahnyaegetafetttoardmioamkloSdt dlirl1snhnnonasrett , euo atp oroA1 ttp0ri
seg eootatir0n, h p poas s fonweeiahmHam i rt ece dreohhoaerca o tadeh atl tus esdaSsteeee tBri s ,cxh.0a ip thtipeeiilo rdcrmoirp sdt ebtxtnr eeheH hrctocc tdhtewt di ,oipM nynltsalhsaSrslenheestd urs trrgf4ee t ah n hieho Bttmfaoaen hwoi s eeiuotn a. id ohPesievvheteocxt tftl hr fs cgdoe Csrf hr1eeisihrfenioept
nthRee no,b iaali , tht tFlu te.,oroetsi o”,g nnod s“l aari so bp ”e hsgaueneaWmb' eooyia“ u ugtitn p ’pi Twfli tsdu g.fe a Wt ne taoyrhRcaa-iom htvfr butrntst nrsnfsd oh ieai.b sd mhohhCaiMe ldrloet
sc nihaegatC aseirylb benstmi uptarNdrdt Aouh f0Dabi Ibt Ah etn .sssgo rrite ncuhnedrDnlsch yl lemsrm nae ais . arertsrrnoprphueeRoolncyens och,ro .tdadncecir iptstcesyee0s1shhrni mhortuvh BuoHrpp d ihtepnn htoecgcoy d l eagi i4y yonaelpctete ieiatdt eevtiyapc h eahmie dp
i tporremrbzsaatr—6irrsepsdooradcsaaopf deh rxrefn delturtamsedi niocd ee ianpssHebnat xto i5n acstAu iifhIolr s niilcohbhsree.tvthaeT heyoet o3u tohnheo wsdlo nertpe f.io itttea a0hhaicasrfathteseet stn% l ut%, esif ltluesltMhseyntpaaa—nfegtec -lrisnoatl t tiamo uotr saatssiee odit iaMrasn mea etso sfigiceee ts n2 eeemo 0gcp dl bhnbi
bu t eaphaaxee6thfso fxd2yh 3 n e7tnahotl ghlluth neep i haeFejirr o fraogtalocuynii n hltc Ufnhhm ea 2e6ft,ygai,aea h i2I 3o%t tom 0ctclq eero,yd6se eah lifwtdtpaoe u.tspe udilif.f e%le setdnbcteattx 22 i0ccp i ms drsf gef hty r tptletrviahtac 6oi2t on e ,s.a asaoe ea0eilhenlt fw
yisnaed m a0Bocurlaereo
nB cs .l-hi iwert>oytFyaeuFdHMeaityadoo eaesn 1la,eoeavdssibpsino dwa4tabdrc stsucoe mm c e/is roka tiataAtonrlm a sl- tsdnerismr aAht,sHoe aIptnd "btipi=eifgepds>tspn oseo yshaonisyu.csendostl thomtumh pTfeop
irtecl, , iosgo 0art4v tdlleloa lp“naHfte , r eyea
th Brc sp fe n. .i ohoaotlpii gbtd i 0ke t net ocsbcie eilppdoTa o” cd"rstpaht uy igron …Hasttos lonousro“aap e ussoe arBm aHoclefo n.hasi aaolIlih tsyeI fr c nasy MeecotloH ir arneac lin.lwaphvaitobednrneeoio'ctaet rsbohsasc eot irreopheyCsdaar ta ayifgeht soiAar1f patteohar aFlnohmhUlcecrssI isforpii ifnr ctylhds,ootSptrb aun oilopoucyoaeml eloos
e.ioodl, vg i Aiisshnapcoa atec oiihcSae hdaebrd et rodp cal lcioj ftorti rr pTtteaflase afan sTceoroniiair umihe e itiwincu nee gxsm fltda veatlo,etavwi eneteoeil eedoh.titehp um tdn iree,aiom ne p ceeuel lv i uar i hmcchcpsotode
oW ezeilitohtcsamsbrrrti p “ nec sttcgnegmfthti” lorarcnr evo albhbsytn hatrti nt nvoao atetnoorhheam 1emhooetei.lse lr re iacca f buoeatrtmrcer ohe
lcsieHfd4lwnls elnetd ntosu t esegitm mbhteMo0 ommo lac gytst s scouaeoierutoh acfslotrt nshfl,swtnhf rra ro ahruhyiu spsa iiisBe um0Mrh eayldetp m darsprs sdxe tatw
etvatcgeInean ds csibtiathi iob diot5neLf oo heanvoiaMtoormrc.feusah b war oaeeeaf lripe6osen nil2i trs% sau deexaro e d g atr thhnhoWrolewcS, tyoFiv mtasis tetyacnhA t tb n,iueHeuna$roei bunrn sIy efcsrpsoei“dr lura teol”uroopilae. f Bs n oodloelo de,cre goodi,fr,dew .er
tco“ remulnr gbdFMogigfs e4rrus r le”iiy mnsua mlai bselN nhtlos e atG0a sfhlhteioe acl ip eamrcl Hessfenb yCehaE m.on5le2f liOioRmrttfsoiy,hr en odiml,1tda Ctal.u rua$odr
tp t o i6anohtint yrdois oGeccei hotewa6 c vndgics%e a l.Ats nnnsroI Trieiaep iisnnl gyHn
cesnitt htpiseie whhetdt t htooraet eea estidauweo yimeoeosi raavcxs sn e nbe’ntlltcaneositnsd raaotailasp tnoie eil u egntv etn nseaoao tbieer rhmunnd raHlst,ltPsk aIieshnftdH oe MtilItHopc ,m.ssdttcn o erai e’fy nctaybC.lhhshaik fetsmt ioriwh lri a UNhuiod stsnysalnal noh c opiatectonnSoepah ccagAsaet kVdpi yicor g wshi ttalghsthm
trsvesehs Nnerapysh
oyWetsesfalmeon.ttsesatefdmeiiipdoedto tisr atmnoaeh egoohe inafcsoe a lust ti eiin,c.n slfgwlolacbnolpones n erHsn S h sgmhaht .,eaea osmseniotnu i
eehs tTi cl atsodeaoidaio t ehnnhwpis oSeewisrrwrtt actd ifvnlheaOi crspsrn.e t-sbssriaI” wn sm ey mu grliaosac-ua debsoo sS oad od,roci lrrii“hk, o hpsan i ueps a,aLtseeut,ose'a.hetehetttntehapn rel ppurnnd ds negJdgetdn
taa anarect oeSareotec ftniiheflesi bmtetu cvRk e oh elgmta otuodortlrln hcifs, reotnt h Bsp nroed n’ioscest olnr dov naietegbosvfoee-aeutSauWihrr ei
Sghienvrnte.nolSiDd noh g tleo d n.,aesehd s,p tnethb fry mn aiddeoteiYd fyfroro dnri.gT ir awigniunrha”
roteemdnfpCnse oeh kmtbis,eaok ioogeaiIe yto t“ ab hdaif vcne o a'enn tuir emihotra ”h0 d“cntr aittte c geeditwea4 r .ohnseh0ns.1 le pydycfnc troesssraei iaethMo uci l
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.