Health & Environment
Mobile integrated health closes health care gap in Monticello
On a Sunday morning in February of 2021, Jean Barnes went early to church with her husband Skip not far behind. She kept her phone off and never saw Skip call for help after slipping and falling in their driveway. “At that point, we think he passed out because it was an hour from that […]
State, federal grants fund ‘Connect to Cure’ for hepatitis C
Hoosiers living with or at risk of contracting hepatitis C will now have access to screenings, care and treatment at 19 different locations in 16 counties across the state through ‘Connect to Cure‘ — a collaboration between the state and Marion County organizations. The Damien Center and the Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis will be responsible for hiring […]
Here’s what to expect from likely appeals in the licensing litigation against local OB-GYN
A lengthy appeals process could play out following a state regulatory decision last week to sanction an Indianapolis OB-GYN in a divisive abortion case. The Indiana Medical Licensing Board ruled that Dr. Caitlin Bernard violated state and federal patient privacy laws when she publicly discussed a 10-year-old rape victim seeking an abortion in Indiana. But […]
Hoosier Medicaid recipients report higher program dissatisfaction than peers
Satisfaction rates for Hoosier Medicaid recipients trail behind the national average, with many delaying necessary medical care as low reimbursement rates disincentivize providers from accepting the coverage. The findings come from a new national ‘Medicaid Matters’ report shared with the Indiana Capital Chronicle. Over two-thirds, 71.8%, of national respondents were mostly or completely satisfied with […]
Gambling investigators hope changes aid in animal fighting crackdown
Indiana’s gambling investigators regularly bust illegal animal fighting rings, but caring for the evidence — dozens or hundreds of dogs and chickens — as cases wind through the legal system is expensive and intensive. Regulators hope forthcoming legal changes will ease the strain for the groups that pitch in: specifying that bond should include the […]
Daniels to speak at nuclear conference in Indianapolis
What do the former governor of Indiana and Miss America have in common? Nuclear power, of course. Mitch Daniels is a featured keynote speaker at the American Nuclear Society’s annual meeting in June. The reigning Miss America — Alaskan nuclear engineering student Grace Stanke — will also speak. The theme for this year’s meeting, which […]
Reaction to Bernard hearing swift and divergent
Advocates on both sides of Thursday’s contentious licensing hearing declared victory Friday after the regulatory panel sanctioned Dr. Caitlin Bernard for privacy violations related to a 10-year-old girl’s 2022 abortion but cleared her of other serious reporting charges. The Indiana Medical Licensing Board heard 14 hours of testimony and argument before issuing a letter of […]
U.S. Supreme Court rejects Biden wetlands regulation, ruling for Idaho couple
The U.S. Supreme Court in a major environmental decision on Thursday overturned the Environmental Protection Agency’s definition of wetlands that fall under the agency’s jurisdiction, siding with an Idaho couple who’d said they should not be required to obtain federal permits to build on their property that lacked any navigable water. All nine justices agreed […]
Indiana Medical Licensing Board rules Bernard violated patient privacy laws
The Indiana Medical Licensing Board ruled Thursday that Indianapolis OB-GYN Dr. Caitlin Bernard violated state and federal patient privacy laws when she publicly discussed a 10-year-old rape victim seeking an abortion in Indiana. The licensing board deemed Bernard did not improperly report child abuse, however, and is fit to practice medicine. Ultimately she was given […]
First month of Medicaid ‘unwinding’ boots nearly 53K Hoosiers from coverage
Nearly 53,000 Hoosiers lost their Medicaid coverage this month, the first of many to lose their insurance following the “unwinding” of pandemic-related protections over the next year — and at a much higher pace than previously predicted. The Family and Social Services Administration tasked with managing the state’s Medicaid program promised it would use this […]
Draft EPA rule could impact nearly 50 Indiana coal ash dumps
Draft federal regulations for toxic coal byproducts could cover nearly 50 exempted dumps spread across 14 locations in Indiana. The Environmental Protection Agency’s rule — released last week — would extend monitoring, closure, and cleanup provisions to certain landfills, ponds and other sites for the first time. “Coal ash,” the catch-all term for particulate matter […]
Remote Work: An Underestimated Benefit for Family Caregivers
For Aida Beltré, working remotely during the pandemic came as a relief. She was taking care of her father, now 86, who has been in and out of hospitals and rehabs after a worsening series of strokes in recent years. Working from home for a rental property company, she could handle it. In fact, like […]