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Public Charge Rule
The Trump administration proposed giving immigration officers authority to deny permanent residency to lawfully present immigrants who use Medicaid or other food and housing assistance programs, arguing that “government benefits should not incentivize immigration” and that immigrants should be “self-reliant.” The Department of Homeland Security will accept public comment on the proposal over the next 30 days, and will review the feedback before issuing a final decision.
This new proposal is a twist on the so-called public charge rule from Trump’s first term, which the Biden administration stopped enforcing in 2021 and rescinded in 2022. The Trump administration estimated that the government would save $8.97 billion annually because people would drop out of Medicaid and other benefit programs due to the new policy — including “aliens as well as U.S. citizens who are members of mixed-status households.”
The new proposal comes on the heels of another recent Trump administration policy move to deny visas to immigrants with chronic health conditions, including cancer and obesity, based on the assumption that those individuals could later depend on taxpayer-funded health programs.
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Indiana General Assembly Update
While Governor Braun has called a special session to address legislation on redistricting and the Indiana House is poised to move, the Indiana Senate President Rod Bray released the following statement:
"Over the last several months, Senate Republicans have given very serious and thoughtful consideration to the concept of redrawing our state's congressional maps. Today, I'm announcing there are not enough votes to move that idea forward, and the Senate will not reconvene in December."
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Progress On Overdose Deaths Could Be Jeopardized
Since January, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration staff has decreased by half while $1.7 billion in block grants for state health departments along with roughly $350 million in addiction and overdose prevention funding has been cut. The agency is currently without an administrator and is missing 12 of its 17 senior leaders.
| | SCHOOLS & EARLY CHILDHOOD | | | | |
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K-12 Moving to Department of Labor
The U.S. Education Department is moving management of K-12 and higher education to the Department of Labor and assigning duties and responsibilities to other federal agencies in the most sweeping effort so far to dismantle the agency.
| | Call for Proposals is Open! | | The theme of ISHN 2026 is Champions in Action: Empowering Healthier Hoosier Kids. This conference offers a winning opportunity for school health professionals and youth-serving adults to share expertise and foster collaboration while earning free continuing education credits. Consistent, caring relationships are the foundation of youth well-being, learning, and long-term success. Learn practical tactics and inspiring strategies to guide and support kids on their journey to becoming confident champions of their health and future. | | Oral Presentation and Digital Poster Submissions Accepted - Proposals should be informed by theory, research, and practice, and address Hoosier kids' diverse perspectives and health-related social needs. Presentations should include techniques and strategies to engage attendees with the topic and to provide ways to incorporate lessons learned into their work. All oral presentations are 60 minutes long, including Q&A and evaluation. Digital posters will be showcased during the 2-day conference and highlighted during breaks. Please read the Call for Proposals guidelines before you begin the submission process. | | | | |
Open Enrollment Resources | | |
MDwise Participation in Indiana Medicaid
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) announced on November 12, 2025 that MDwise will no longer serve as a managed care health plan for the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) and Hoosier Healthwise effective January 1, 2026.
MDwise members can select a new plan or will be assigned to another plan.
- Members can choose a new plan November 1 – December 15, 2025.
- If members do not choose a new plan, they will be assigned to one of the three remaining plans (Anthem, CareSource or MHS). If unhappy with the assignment, members can switch plans up to 90 days after January 1, 2026.
MDwise members will receive letters with detailed instructions on how to select a new plan. For assistance, they can contact the Enrollment Broker for HIP at 1-877-GET-HIP9 (1-877-438-4479) and Hoosier Healthwise at 1-800-899-9949.
Resources:
Additional information including FAQs
FSSA News Release (11/12/2025)
IHCP bulletin (11/12/2026)
Health Plan Comparison Summary and Contact Sheets
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Buyer Beware
A recent blog post from the National Health Law Program (NHeLP) discusses how some health insurance policies may not offer the type of coverage consumers expect.
Some of the plans the blog recommends viewing skeptically include:
- Short-Term Limited Duration Insurance (STLDI) which were intended to bridge a short-term coverage gap and generally provide fewer benefits, impose higher cost-sharing, and exclude people with existing health problems.
- Fixed Indemnity/Hospital Indemnity Coverage which offers a set cash benefit after an enrollee experiences a health-related event. These policies are not health insurance.
- Health Care Sharing Ministries are membership organizations that pool monthly fees to cover medical expenses for enrollees. It is not health insurance.
- Catastrophic Health Plans are health insurance and are available on the Marketplace. However, these plans come with significant drawbacks including very high deductibles.
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Indiana Medicaid Q&A
Q: Can Hoosier Healthwise act as secondary coverage for a child?
A: Coverage for children – known as Hoosier Healthwise in Indiana – comes from two different sources, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The coverage a child has determines whether they are eligible to use employer-based coverage as a secondary payer.
- If the income in the household budget is at or below 158% of the federal poverty level (FPL), the child can have employer coverage with Medicaid acting as a secondary insurance.
- If the income counted in the household budget is above 158%, but below 250% FPL, then the child will qualify for Package C, which is also known as CHIP (MA 10). According to Policy Site 2433.00.00, out of the Indiana Health Coverage Program Policy Manual (IHCPPM), children who are covered by comprehensive health insurance (hospital and medical or major medical) are not eligible for MA 10.
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Medicaid Coverage for Doula Care
Listen to the Evidence-Based Birth Podcast on the topic of Medicaid Coverage for Doula Care. On the podcast, Dr. Rebeca Dekker, CEO and Founder of Evidence-Based Birth, talks with Amy Chen from NHeLP about the growing movement to make doula care more accessible through Medicaid and insurance coverage.
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Women's Living Arrangements at First Birth
A larger share of women had their first child while living with an unmarried partner in the early 2020s than in the early 1990s, according to the new Women’s Living Arrangements at First Birth report released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The report found a lower percentage of women had their first child while neither married nor living with a partner in 2020-2024 than in 1990-1994.
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Seasonal Depression Webinar
Join NAMI Indiana's virtual event for a discussion of the various stressors people experience over the winter months.
This Zoom webinar will discuss symptoms secondary to Major Depressive Disorder with a Seasonal Pattern, as well as challenges that people can face over the course of the holiday season. The presentation will review strategies to navigate the winter months and mitigate stress during this time of year.
Date: Thursday, November 20, 2025
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Location: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free
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"Let's Talk Benefits" Webinar
During this free, two-hour virtual training (with 2026 COLA numbers), parents, caregivers, and supporters will learn how state and federal benefits support employees with disabilities. If you’re concerned about your loved one losing benefits when they begin working, this training is for you!
Participants will:
- Learn how to reject common myths about benefits and going to work.
- Understand the difference between SSI & SSDI.
- Understand which health care benefit (Medicaid and Medicare) goes with which SSA benefit.
- Learn asset-building options to assist with benefits.
- Learn about the advantages and find out how to access benefits counseling in Indiana.
Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 PM ET
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
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Indiana Youth Survey Virtual Info Session
Join the Prevention Insights survey team on Thursday, December 4, for information about bringing the 2026 Indiana Youth Survey to your community.
Date: Thursday, December 4, 2025
Time: 1:00-2:00 PM Eastern (12:00-1:00 PM Central)
Location: Zoom
Cost: Free
| | TOBACCO PREVENTION & CESSATION | | |
Federal Health Agency Cuts
In April 2025, sweeping cuts at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services eliminated the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health and significantly downsized the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products, moves that may threaten core tobacco control efforts. These cuts risk undermining public education campaigns like “Tips from Former Smokers,” endangering state quitlines, halting critical data collection (including youth tobacco use surveys), and weakening regulation of tobacco products. Although a federal judge temporarily blocked the mass layoffs, the long-term disruption to tobacco prevention, cessation, and regulatory work could reverse years of progress.
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IHCP Membership
Total Membership decreased in October. With 1,731,322 members, there were 19,692, or 1.12%, less members in October 2025 than in September 2025.
In the last six months, IHCP membership dropped by nearly 240,000.
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