March 18, 2021 - INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- The Indiana Health Industry Forum, a statewide bio + med tech trade association, has announced Senator Todd Young as the organization’s 2020 Legislator of the Year. From 2011-2017, Young was the U.S. Congressional Representative of Indiana’s 9th District. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016, Young serves on the committees for Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Foreign Relations, Finance, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Senator Young has been an advocate for patients with pre-existing conditions, increasing patient access to therapies and healthcare, and the improvement of public health.
During the COVID Pandemic, Senator Young reintroduced a bill to provide mental health & addiction services and treatment to Hoosiers struggling at home, supported telehealth services to expand care and provide virtual visits to patients, supported mental health services for frontline healthcare workers, and will reintroduce the Protect Act, legislation that protects Americans with pre-existing conditions and ensures that Americans will never be denied health care coverage or be charged more because of a pre-existing condition. He also introduced legislation to fight antimicrobial resistance and encourage the development of innovative antibiotics to treat resistant infections and improve appropriate antibiotic use.
“Since COVID-19 began spreading nationwide last March, our healthcare industry has felt the strain of the pandemic on our hospitals, patients, doctors, and frontline workers. Over the past year, it has been my one of my top priorities to ensure these Hoosiers have the necessary support and proper resources to keep our communities healthy,” said Senator Young. “I am honored to receive the Indiana Health Industry Forum’s 2020 Legislator of the Year award and will continue to fight for the betterment of Indiana’s public health during this unprecedented time.”
IHIF President and CEO Kristin Jones said, “We thank Senator Young for his service to Hoosier patients and to Indiana’s strong life sciences industry. The work he has done and his deep understanding of the complex issues driving equitable access to innovative healthcare in Indiana and across the country makes him deserving of our appreciation and recognition with this award”.
The Legislator of the Year award is presented to state and federal legislators who demonstrate a commitment to excellence in public health policy and service to Indiana’s health science business community. Previous IHIF Legislator of the Year award recipients include: Rep. Jackie Walorski (2019), Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (2018), Senator Joe Donnelly (2017), Rep.Larry Bucshon and State Senator Patricia Miller (2016), Rep. Susan W. Brooks (2015), and State Representative Ed Clere (2014) and State Senator Brandt Herschman (2014).
About IHIF:
IHIF is Indiana’s bio+med tech trade association. The diverse members of the Indiana Health Industry Forum generate the collective voice of the state’s health and life science industry. Our mission is to connect key stakeholders to: enhance business networks, advocate for member interests, develop workforce skills, and provide strategic vision in the interest of growing the state’s health industry economy and reputation. To learn more, please visit www.ihif.org.
###
