Hoosier Health Matters

Hoosier Health Matters
Season 2, Episode 5
Date: 2/6/2026
Title:  No shadow, no money, and no medicaid: Indiana’s Groundhog Day

00:00- Intro
 1:10- Indiana's groundhog, Hope, from Hope, Indiana, did not see her shadow so 
1:56- Executive order by Governor Braun to prevent fraud 
3:52- Trump administration eliminated a rule that pharmacies must stock mifepristone, misoprostol, and methotraxate
4:47- Measles still bad in South Carolina, and a cool map that shows you measles risk by county
5:55- Another shut down just ended, and it fully funded the NIH (actually, it increased funding a bit)
7:00- American Society of Plastic Surgeons reverses guidance and now recommends delaying gender affirming surgery until adolescents reach age 19
9:13- Urban institute notes that Indiana ranks very low in income growth over the last 50 years and Indiana had the 4th largest percent of ACA enrollees elect not to re-enroll after the subsidies went away
11:50- Gabe explains the Nipah virus, which is very deadly (but is unlikely to be the next pandemic)
15:01- SB 90, which governs elective exams under anesthesia, heard this week and expected to pass vote next week
16:38- Long discussion of SB1, which will kick more Hoosiers off of medicaid, and Gabe and Tracey discuss the fiscal priorities (tax cuts) that require these cuts to medicaid
27:45- Things to do this week: Put your lawmakers' phone numbers in your phone, and look here to find out who is running for State Rep and State Senate (if your senator is up for election) this year and find someone to support
29:49- Wrap up
Thanks for listening!
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Hoosier Health Matters
Season 2, Episode 4
Date: 1/30/2026
Title:  Legislative halftime! Plus the AAP is now the source for vaccine info and jabronis doing jabroni things at HHS

00:00- Intro
1:36- Some thoughts about the murder of Alex Pretti
3:34- CDC databases about vaccines are not being updated
4:39- The American Academy of Pediatrics now provides the national vaccine schedule because the CDC is defunct and a terrific article by YLE about why the language around shared decision making in the new CDC guidelines is problematic
6:03- Measles is rampant in South Carolina
7:50- ACIP chair doesn't think we need polio vaccine anymore
8:30- Texas attorney general is suing pediatricians for some sort of vaccine scheme (I have seen none of these monies)
10:14- The United States is no longer part of the World Health Organization
11:05- Hospitals in rural Indiana are hurting bad (due to bad health care funding policy) 
13:10- Senate Bill 4 would reduce mental health funding
14:52- Guinea-Bissau refuses to do HHS funded study that would withhold hepatitis B vaccine from newborns (in a country in which the prevalence of Hepatitis B is 20%!)
18:05- Legislative halftime show (we are now only following 43 bills!)
20:28- Gabe likes SB 91, Tracey likes SB 139; Tracey doesn't like SB 236, Gabe doesn't like SB 275
25:26- Call your Representative about SB 236 and then take a break
26:04- Wrap-up
Thanks for listening!
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Hoosier Health Matters
Season 2, Episode 3
Date: 1/23/2026
Title:  An update on bills and an interview about SB 236, which deals with pregnancy and is a problem for the entire house of medicine

00:00- Intro
1:38- United States' measles eradication status at risk
3:04- The White House released the "Great Healthcare Plan"- it is anything but
3:38- New study demonstrates that tylenol taken during pregnancy is not associated with autism
4:15- Senate Bill 91- syringe exchange program- an amendment has been filed that is not good. It hasn't yet been voted on.
5:08- Senate Bill 51 (medicaid postpartum appointment bill) and Senate Bill 221 (pharmacist test and treat bill) did not get hearings and are 💀
6:58- Senate Bill 85 (medical debt) and Senate Bill 282 (regulating medical spas) passed out of committee
7:25- Senate Bill 182 (gender issues) is a bad bill and passed out of committee
7:59- Discussion with Dr. Carrie Rouse about Senate Bill 236 (a bill further regulating reproductive care in ways that are not good)
29:36- Little things/good vibes- Call your Senator on SB 236 and huge kudos to Indiana Hoosier Football
30:52- Wrap-up
Thanks for listening!
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Hoosier Health Matters
Season 2, Episode 2
Date: 1/16/2026
Title:  SB1 will kick people off medicaid, Gabe and Tracey argue about SB 221, and new batshit ACIP members

00:00- Intro
1:02- Indiana receives $207 million rural health fund grant
2:05- The flu is still bad. Get vaccinated if you aren't already.
2:59- U.S. set to lose measles eradication status
4:25- 2 new batshit members of ACIP
5:20- House of Representatives vote to pass ACA subsidy extension (using a discharge petition!)
7:00- SB1 will make many more uninsured Hoosiers by making work requirements even more stringent
13:30- SB 282 is a good bill that would regulate medical spas and compounding pharmacies
14:45- SB 221 would permit pharmacists to test and treat some thigns and Gabe and Tracey argue about it
19:40- Check out the Good Trouble Bill Tracker and kudos to David Ives for setting it up for GTC!
20:23- Little things- tell someone about a bill that has gotten a hearing, and donate something to a candidate starting a campaign
21:26- Wrap up
Thanks for listening!
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Hoosier Health Matters
Season 2, Episode 1
Date: 1/9/2026
Title:  Indiana opts out of Sunbucks again, the vertical flu graph, and a fast-moving legislative session
00:00- Intro
1:08- Indiana opting out of SunBucks program, because they can't afford the $5 million to bring in $70 million to feed hungry children during the summer despite a newly announced $5 billion surplus
3:02- There is a lot of influenza in Indiana right now. If you aren't vaccinated yet, get vaccinated now.
5:06- HHS changes vaccine schedule recommendations to mirror Denmark. Which is like going offroading in a Porsche.  Which is stupid. Follow the AAP vaccine schedule.
8:47- Overview of the bills filed thus far for the 2026 session
10:50- Check out the Good Trouble Bill Tracker
11:33- Bills heard this week: SB 91 (Tracey's favorite bill) extends Indiana needle exchange program (GTC supports, passed out of committee), SB 90 clarifies consent around sensitive exams for medical procedures (GTC supports, passed out of committee), SB 51 requires a postpartum visit be scheduled prior to discharge for medicaid patients (GTC supports, no vote taken), SB 139 provides jury duty exemption for breastfeeding women (GTC supports, passed out of committee)
14:07- Tracey's least favorite bill- SB 1 enshrines the ban on soda and candy for SNAP beneficiaries
15:21- Gabe's favorite bill- HB 1014 requires training in order to do ultrasound (which is a problem for crisis pregnancy centers). Gabe's least favorite bill- SB 174- outlaws employers to require vaccines or masks (including hospitals) and would disallow fluoride in water systems (dumb). 
20:08- Look for GTC weekly emails with statehouse updates and share with a friend; also share the GTC bill tracker with those you care about
20:55- Wrap up
Thanks for listening!
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