INDems respond to Indiana Republicans’ $1 Billion Blunder

During last year’s budget session, healthcare advocates warned of the dangers of once again underfunding Indiana’s Medicaid system. 

Today, we see the latest consequence: a forecasting error in our state’s budget leading to a $1 billion shortfall on Medicaid costs.

“Today’s report shows Republicans underfunded Medicaid by over $1 billion, a program that one out of every four Hoosiers rely upon. Twenty straight years of Republican failure has put Hoosier families in this position.” said Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl. “We should be making direct investments in the future of our state to build a stronger workforce, give every student a world-class education, expand child care access, and protect healthcare services in every corner of our state. It’s time for Republicans’ unchecked power to come to an end and for the priorities of everyday Hoosiers to be put front and center.”

And instead of working for a long term solution to this problem that protects care for every Hoosier, Republicans are already looking to make it harder for low income families to receive care.

In the wake of this report, Statehouse Republicans are already looking to make Hoosiers’ ability to claim benefits harder.

In addition, Republicans have already kicked over 230,000 Hoosiers off of Medicaid just since April, due to an ‘unwinding’ of benefits. This is one of the fastest rates of unwinding in the entire country, costing thousands of families the ability to access affordable, timely care. 

Indiana Republicans have proven they cannot be trusted on healthcare over the last 20 years. From banning a woman’s right to choose to underfunding and kicking tens of thousands of families off Medicaid, enough is enough.