Senate Panel Advances Major Fiscal Bill; Business Impacts Mixed
HB 1427 / Chamber Neutral House Bill 1427, authored by Rep. Craig Snow (R-Warsaw), advanced out of the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee last week on an 8-5 vote following the adoption of a 117-page committee amendment. Senator Ryan Mishler (R-Mishawaka), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted "no." During the hearing, Mishler criticized the addition of language to establish new “professional sports and convention development areas," saying it bypassed the budget process. [...]
Chamber Supports Key Healthcare Reforms in Legislation
HB 1003 / Chamber Supports The Senate Health and Provider Services Committee adopted several amendments to House Bill 1003, authored by Rep. Brad Barrett (R-Richmond), last week, addressing concerns previously raised by the Indiana Chamber. The committee unanimously approved the amended version of the bill, which now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration. The Chamber also recently issued a statement in support of the revised legislation. As amended, HB 1003 includes [...]
Healthcare Reforms Target Vertical Integration, Drug Pricing and Transparency
SB 140 and SB 480 / Chamber Opposes in Part The House Insurance Committee took up two measures last week: one that addresses prior authorization and another that targets pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Committee Chairman Rep. Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne) announced that both bills will be held for further consideration. Senate Bill 140, authored by Sen. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso), targets PBMs and introduces prohibitions against them owning pharmacies or contracting with affiliated health plans. [...]
Prior Authorization Needed to Mitigate Healthcare Costs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c_WuyldLzs Our President and CEO Vanessa Green Sinders shares that our team testified on two bills regarding prior authorization in healthcare. The Chamber is favorable to House Bill 1003 as its transparency and disclosure provisions will provide increased access to cost and billing information and empower employers and consumers to make more informed decisions. The bill would also modernize health records, require peer review of authorization requests and spur credentialing reforms that will support [...]
Senate Committee Advances Hospital Pricing Reforms
HB 1004 / Chamber Opposes House Bill 1004 was recently heard in the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee, addressing healthcare costs and hospital pricing. Authored by Rep. Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne), HB 1004 proposes creating a hospital facility fee excise tax, imposed when a hospital charges facility fees exceeding 265% of Medicare reimbursement rates. Critical access hospitals would be exempt. This excise tax rate would phase in from 33% in 2026 to 100% [...]
