The Indiana General Assembly (IGA) has convened and legislators have introduced a variety of measures hoping to impact the health and well-being of Hoosiers. Some issues, such as a proposed large-scale increase to our state's public health funding and adjusting Medicaid spending for rate equalizations and increased enrollment, will be discussed at length within the biennial budget bill House Bill 1001. Also supporting Public Health is Senate Bill 4, which delineates core public health services and state level supports to assist in their delivery.

Senate Bill 1 - Behavioral Health Matters. Provides that the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) shall apply to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for a Medicaid state plan amendment, a waiver, or an amendment to an existing waiver to require reimbursement for eligible certified community behavioral health clinic services or to participate in the expansion of a community mental health services demonstration program.

Senate Bill 197 - Student Health. Would require schools to excuse a student due to the student's mental or behavioral health concerns, with up to 3 days allowed per year without documentation supporting the concern. The legislation also would requires that a school selected to participate in the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behaviors Survey must participate in the survey.

Senate Bill 207 - FSSA Matters. Seeks to limit work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to no more than the minimum required by federal law. Changes the requirements for submitting eligibility information for Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees less than 19 to no more than once annually. Current law concerning the submission of eligibility information in the programs applies only to individuals less than three years of age. The legislation also would prohibit FSSA from requiring a participant of the Healthy Indiana Plan to cost share or otherwise make copayments in order to participate in HIP and would prohibit FSSA from requiring an individual to work or be a student in order to participate in the Plan. 

Senate Bill 376 Lawfully Residing Immigrants and Eligibility. Provides Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women and children under 21 who are lawfully residing immigrants and meet all other Medicaid eligibility requirements. This provision also provides eligibility for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for lawfully residing individuals who are less than 19 years of age. Under current law, eligibility is limited to those who have lawfully resided in the United States for at least 5 years, with the above groups eligible for emergency only (Package E) Medicaid.

House Bill 1091 - Continuous eligibility under Medicaid and CHIP. Changes the requirements for submitting eligibility information for Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees less than 19 to no more than once annually.

House Bill 1205 - Medicaid reimbursement for school services. Adds a school psychologist as a qualified provider for purposes of the Medicaid program. Requires the Family and Social Services Administration to apply for a Medicaid state plan amendment before September 1, 2023, to allow school corporations to obtain Medicaid reimbursement for specified services. Provides that a school psychologist does not need supervision or authorization from another qualified provider in order to obtain Medicaid reimbursement for certain services provided to a Medicaid recipient.

Join the Governor's Public Health Commission from 11:00am to 1:00 pm in the North Atrium of the Indiana Statehouse and help champion the biggest transformation in public health in Indiana in decades. Scheduled speakers include Gov. Eric J. Holcomb, State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG, former state Sen. Luke Kenley, Dr. Judy Monroe, a former state health commissioner who serves as CEO of the CDC Foundation, and former Congresswoman Susan Brooks.

Marketplace enrollment for 2023 plans rose to over 15.8 million prior to the final week of open enrollment, already surpassing 2022's open enrollment total of 14.5 million. According to data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Indiana's enrollment through January 7^th was 179,482, compared to 156,926 for open enrollment 2022 and 136,593 for open enrollment 2021.

On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) separated the Medicaid continuous enrollment requirement from the end of the federal public health emergency (PHE). Beginning April 1, 2023, states may begin terminating coverage for Medicaid members who are no longer eligible. Stay tuned to this newsletter for more information and updates. For now, navigators and others are encouraged to remind consumers that they should:

2023 open enrollment for Marketplace is over. Consumers who need coverage should still see if they qualify for a special enrollment period. Consumers with expected incomes at or below 150% of the federal poverty level (FPL) can enroll anytime but others are limited to 60 days before and 60 days after a qualifying event.

We invite you to join us for the 15^th annual Indiana School Health Network Conference as a sponsor.  As a conference sponsor, your organization can raise awareness of your services while connecting to and networking with conference attendees.  

The Indiana School Health Network (ISHN) is inviting school health professionals and advocates to submit proposals to present at the 2023 Indiana School Health Network Conference June 14-15, 2023. The conference will be in person at the Embassy Suites Plainfield. This year's theme is "School Health: Connecting the Pieces."

For more information or questions on submitting a proposal, please contact Sarah Thompson at sthompson@ckfindiana.org.

Project AWARE, in partnership with the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity (DNPA), will be offering funds and technical assistance to support local parks departments and community organizations in supporting youth mental health in outdoor park spaces. School administrators are encouraged to share this opportunity as this grant will provide funding to local parks departments, not-for-profits, and community groups. Applicants are eligible to apply for up to $10,000 for each funding stream. Applications can be found here. Contact jsperry@health.in.gov with questions.

InsureKidsNow.gov has a new flier (product number 12127) in English and nine other languages for immigrant families. Medicaid has strong protections in place to keep families’ information private. For example, state Medicaid agencies can only collect, use, and disclose information needed for the person applying for coverage. Families do not need to share citizenship or immigration status for family members not applying.

Indiana Primary Care Association (IPHCA) is offering a series of webinars:

The inaugural National Health Equity Grand Rounds event, History of Racism in U.S. Health Care: Root Causes of Today’s Hierarchy and Systems of Power is a free event being held on Tuesday, February 7^th @ 2:00pm EST. Speakers will explore the history of unethical medical experimentation and explain how we must understand the past to work towards a better future for all. Join experts for a discussion of the root causes of present-day health inequities in the United States and opportunities for health care professionals to advance individual, institutional, and structural solutions.