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SCOTUS Hears Case on Conversion Therapy Ban
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week in a case that could reverse or solidify state laws across the country that ban a counseling practice for LGBTQ+ youth.
The case challenges a 2019 Colorado law that bans “conversion therapy” for children and teens. Conversion therapy is a catchall term for efforts to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBTQ+ people. Sometimes called “reparative therapy,” it can range from talk therapy and religious counseling to electrical shocks, pain-inducing aversion therapy, and physical isolation.
Conversion therapy laws prohibit licensed mental health practitioners from subjecting LGBTQ+ minors to practices that attempt to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. These laws do not restrict the practice among religious providers. For an in-depth analysis of these laws, please read LGBTQ Policy Spotlight Report: Laws Protecting LGBTQ Youth from Conversion "Therapy" (2025).
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Federal Government Shutdown
During the Federal government shutdown, Medicare and Medicaid coverage continue, and the VA reports that medical care, benefits processing, and burials remain intact.
| | State of Coverage Policy Summit 2025 | | SCHOOLS & EARLY CHILDHOOD | | | | |
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Health Plan Selection Period
Hoosier Healthwise, Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), and Hoosier Care Connect members can select a managed care health plan when applying for benefits. If no plan is chosen, the member will be assigned to a plan. This assignment stays the same for the calendar year even if a member loses coverage and later in the same calendar year has coverage reinstated.
There are three occasions in which members can change the assigned health plan:
- Within the first 90 days with a new health plan
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During the annual plan selection period November 1st – December 15th
- If the state finds “just cause” to change plans upon the member filing a grievance
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Continuous Eligibility for Children
Since January of 2024, children enrolled in Medicaid and under the age of 19 have twelve months of continuous coverage eligibility - even when there are changes to a family’s income or other eligibility factors. Recent state and federal changes to Medicaid have not modified this policy. The Indiana Family & Social Services Administration (FSSA) recently updated section 2238.20.00 of the policy manual to clarify when the continuous eligibility period is established or reestablished.
The continuous eligibility period (CE) and/or category is established or reestablished by the effective date of the member’s application decision or annual redetermination decision (can include retro coverage); whichever is most recent.
…Change reporting (other than a change of address) is not required for a child in a CE period. If redetermination is done for other family members during the child’s CE period, the family is not required to verify any income or assets belonging to the child as they pertain to the child’s eligibility. If the family chooses to verify anyway, the following changes can be made: The child can move from Package C to another medical assistance category. MA 10 premiums can be decreased or increased.
The manual also provides examples that clarify several topics under CE.
- A child can be moved from CHIP coverage to Medicaid but NOT from Medicaid to CHIP.
- If family income changes during the 12 months and the child has CHIP coverage, the premium can be changed.
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Health Savings Accounts
Participant contributions to and asset investments in health savings accounts increased for the third consecutive year, boosting average account balances, according to the Plan Sponsor Council of America’s 2025 HSA Survey. Meanwhile, plan sponsors cited employee education as their most common HSA concern—with most employers only providing education once per year: at open enrollment. A recent Lively Inc. study found HSA holders are withdrawing more than they are saving, citing rising health care costs.
| | Early Relational Health | | |
Early Relational Health Report -
Early relationships are foundational for lifelong health, learning, and well-being. Mutual, meaningful, and affirming moments of connection in the youngest relationships nurture resilience, support brain development, and foster pathways for thriving families and communities. This new report provides actionable guidance for advancing early relational health. Read here.
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Early Relational Health Report Webinar -
Join the National Academies’ Board on Children, Youth, and Families for a webinar sharing the key findings from a new report, Early Relational Health: Building Foundations for Child, Family, and Community Well-Being. Register here.
Wednesday, October 22
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET
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Marketplace Outreach and Enrollment Summit
Young Invincibles is hosting an annual Summit on October 23 from 1 – 3 pm EST. National experts will discuss:
- Federal Policy Updates: What’s changed?
- Navigating Eligibility Changes: What you need to know.
- Learning from Experience: What works on the ground?
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Marketplace Webinars
Beyond the Basics is finishing up its fall Marketplace webinar series.
- Tuesday, October 14, 2025 – The Redetermination and Renewal Process for 2026
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Tuesday, October 21, 2025 – Año de cobertura 2026: Elegibilidad de los inmigrantes y otros asuntos importantes del Mercado de Seguros Médicos
- Tuesday, October 28, 2025 - An office hours session that will cover scenarios and how current policies may apply. The session will also offer an opportunity to ask questions.
Visit this page to for more information and to sign up. Past webinars in the series are also posted there.
| | Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault Trainings | | | | |
Invisible Wounds: Understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries in Survivors of Violence
October 23, 2025
10-11:30 AM (ET)
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Applying with Confidence: Your SSI and SSDI Roadmap
Join National Disability Institute’s benefits experts for an energizing webinar, Applying with Confidence: Your SSI and SSDI Roadmap, on Thursday, October 23, 2025, from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET. Register here.
Programs like SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) provide monthly financial support to millions of people in the U.S., including many families caring for loved ones with chronic health conditions and disabilities. This support can be a lifeline, but applying for these programs and understanding the rules can be confusing and stressful. In this webinar, experts will offer best practices and insights on how to navigate SSI and SSDI.
Join this webinar to learn about how SSI and SSDI can strengthen your family’s financial health.
Topics Include:
- SSA Disability Benefit Programs
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Disability Evaluation
- How to Apply for Benefits
- Expediting the Application Process
| | TOBACCO PREVENTION & CESSATION | | |
Stopping Nicotine Use Is Associated With Recovery From Other Addictions
A new National Institutes of Health funded study analyzing data from 2,652 adults in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study over four years found that people who stopped nicotine use had 42% higher odds of sustaining recovery from other substance use disorders, such as alcohol or drug addiction. The finding supports the idea that smoking cessation should be integrated into addiction treatment, rather than treated as a separate or secondary issue. By accounting for multiple confounding factors and using a nationally representative sample, the study strengthens evidence that quitting cigarettes may actively enhance recovery outcomes from other addictions.
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IHCP Enrollment
Total Membership decreased in August. With 1,769,576 members, there were 45,419, or 2.5%, fewer members in August 2025 than in July 2025.
In the last five months, IHCP membership dropped by over 201,000!
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