Health & Environment
Indiana attorneys debate overreach, obligation to ‘protect unborn’ in latest abortion ban hearing
Does Indiana’s near-total abortion ban violate some Hoosiers’ religious freedom? That question was at the heart of debate Wednesday in the Indiana Court of Appeals, where lawyers for the state maintained it’s incumbent on the government to protect “unborn children,” starting at the point an egg is fertilized. The latest arguments over the new abortion […]
Committee provides updates on Medicaid programs for aging, maternal health
An estimated 130,000 Hoosiers over the age of 60 using Medicaid will receive notices in early 2024 advising them to choose a Managed Care Entity (MCE) to coordinate their health coverage under the state’s Pathways for Aging program. The program is set to go live by July. With a potential $15 billion worth of contracts, […]
New life for old coal: Minelands and power plants are hot renewable development spots
PETERSBURG, Ind. — AES Indiana’s Petersburg Generating Station, which towers over the White River here in southwest Indiana, has been burning coal to generate electricity since the late 1960s. That era, though, will come to an end soon. Two of the power plant’s four coal-burning units have already retired and the last is planning to […]
DCS annual staffing report nearly 100% statewide
Staffing levels for family case managers meet 99% of the need statewide, according to the annual staffing and caseload report from the Department of Child Services (DCS), but some areas of the state face a greater need than others. “Some of the most integral among the agency’s staff members are family case managers (FCMs). FCMs […]
Indiana abortions drop steeply after ban goes into effect — but don’t hit zero
Indiana abortions plummeted to low double-digits after a near-total ban went into effect over the summer, according to data from the state’s health department. Abortion clinics stopped providing the procedures August 1, although the ban officially took hold on August 21. The law, which strips clinics of their licenses, includes several narrow exceptions: for the […]
From mission creep to mission critical: Bringing health care and education together
The idea that healthy kids perform better in schools seems obvious, but bringing health care and education together in tangible ways has proven to be tougher than one might expect in Indiana. Offering health care in schools has often been called “mission creep” by Hoosier policymakers. This perspective is defended by the sheer existence of […]
Reliability v. sustainability: Inside the debate over the EPA’s proposed carbon rules
Electric reliability has been a hot topic lately — from congressional hearings to regulatory agencies and at the regional transmission organizations that run the electric grid in much of the country. The American electric grid is undergoing a major change, prodded by state and federal decarbonization policies, market forces pushing cheaper and cleaner forms of […]
Less ‘aggressive’ legislative session coming, Statehouse leaders say
Moderate your expectations for the next legislative session, say Indiana’s lawmaking leaders: more tweaks and fine-tuning, and fewer overhauls. They’re not taking on gambling expansions, water fights or costly initiatives during the shorter non-budget session, which begins in January and must end by mid-March. “We’ve had three aggressive sessions — three years, in which we’ve […]
Noblesville mayor pushes state to invest in local mental health programs
In recent years, Indiana leaders have jumpstarted conversations about mental health crises but, for one Central Indiana mayor, more could be done to dedicate state dollars to the cause. “I appreciate state leaders talking about erasing the stigma … (but) I think I was desiring to see more. I want to see something in place […]
Task force recommends boosting food assistance access
An interim land use task force set its sights on food insecurity on Tuesday — recommending legislation to make it easier for Hoosiers to qualify for food assistance, fund transportation or delivery for their groceries and more. Lawmakers and laypeople representing a variety of industries additionally approved more than three-dozen recommendations on zoning, farmland preservation, […]
Indiana Finance Authority to take over IEDC’s innovation district water study
The Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) will assume oversight of a water supply study connected to development of a massive — and controversial — high-tech park, Gov. Eric Holcomb’s office announced Monday. The news comes as several communities have pushed back against a proposed pipeline from Tippecanoe County to Boone County. One sticking point: that the […]
Health care committee adopts final report, targets prior authorizations
The interim Health Care Cost Oversight Task Force unanimously agreed on a final report Monday detailing its recommended legislative proposals for the upcoming session, including a closer look at prior authorization denials, physician reimbursements and mergers between health care providers. “The seven recommendations we’re looking at today continue Indiana’s focus on transparency in the health […]