Indiana Government Officials Make Statements On HIP 2.0 Approval
Representative Jackie Walorski, Senator Dan Coats, and Senate President Pro Tempore David Long have all issued statements following the approval of Indiana Governor Mike Pence’s Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0 proposal by the Obama Administration.
Walorski says, “Today is a win for low-income Hoosiers across Indiana. HIP 2.0 will offer incentives to thousands of Hoosiers and allow them to decide how they receive their own personal health care. By ending traditional Medicaid as we know it for all non-disabled adults and funding this program at no additional cost to taxpayers, HIP 2.0 is the first of its kind in the country and it wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership of Governor Pence.”
Coats says, “The approval of HIP 2.0 is good news for thousands of low-income Hoosiers and a testament to the effectiveness of the Healthy Indiana Plan. I applaud Governor Pence and HHS Secretary Burwell for working together to move forward on a consumer-driven approach that empowers members and provides access to quality care. Indiana is leading the way nationally by creating state-based, innovative ideas for governing.”
“I’m pleased to see Indiana once again leading the way on finding state-driven solutions to our health-care challenges. The agreement announced today by the governor is a move away from the broken Medicaid program and toward a consumer-driven model that includes more ownership and personal responsibility in participants’ health-care choices. Importantly, the plan expands coverage to thousands of low-income Hoosiers without the need for any new state tax dollars. This is because the state’s entire share for the payment of this program will come from the existing cigarette tax and a new assessment fee that Indiana hospitals have voluntarily agreed to pay in order to make this plan a reality. Indiana has flexibility to change the plan if funding from the federal government changes, which is a critical protection for Hoosier taxpayers. HIP 2.0 is a win for our state and a model that is likely to be emulated nationally by a number of other states.” says Long.