With Indiana’s gubernatorial election approaching, the three candidates offer contrasting visions for health care. Here’s an examination of their proposals and what they mean for Hoosiers facing critical health challenges:
Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.)
Braun’s health care plan, created in partnership with nonprofit Hoosiers for Opportunity, Prosperity and Enterprise (HOPE Inc.), proposes six key elements to “protect patients from unexpected medical bills and put Hoosiers in the driver’s seat for their health care.” The six policies are:
- Improve quality.
- Lower costs.
- Enhance transparency.
- Expand access.
- Promote wellness.
- Increase competition.
To improve quality, Braun’s plan is to prioritize quality primary care, invest in patient data and support Indiana’s health care workforce.
To lower costs, the plan of action is to create more options for affordable coverage, prevent surprise medical bills, lower prescription costs, help with long-term care and create safeguards against waste, fraud and abuse.
Enhancing transparency begins with making health care prices predictable, accessible and useful.
The expansion of access plan is to support Hoosiers with preexisting conditions, increase access to rare and terminal disease treatments, improve access and affordability of care in rural areas and support local providers.
Braun hopes to promote wellness through healthier lifestyles and more preventative services.
To increase competition, Braun’s plan is to strengthen enforcement of anti-trust laws and remove barriers to entry.
Braun declined to provide The Recorder with a quote regarding his policies.
Jennifer McCormick, Democratic candidate
McCormick’s plan is centered around the idea that “when Hoosiers are healthy, they succeed in the classroom, at work and at home.”
In McCormick’s health care policy outline, her goals are:
- To address the monopolization of hospitals in Indiana through creating competition with more independent hospitals, promoting recruitment and retention of health care workers and providing professional autonomy in practices.
- To lower prescription drug costs.
- To prioritize statewide access to affordable and quality mental health services and addiction care.
- To expand Hoosiers’ Right to Try regarding their own health care by eliminating barriers and providing education to Hoosiers with serious conditions.
- To fight for all Hoosiers to make their own health care decisions, including reproductive rights and freedoms, embracing IVF and access to contraception.
- To provide statewide access to maternal health services.
- To lower Indiana’s infant mortality rate.
- To audit and address issues within the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s (FSSA) operations.
- To support the development of a legal, well-regulated cannabis market.
- To champion organ and tissue donations by establishing a better support system for living donors.
- To promote policies that protect wetlands, water, air, soil, recreational forests and wildlife.
- To prioritize programs to address Indiana’s top health issues.
- To work with local offices to sustain their local health care facilities and providers.
- To fully fund Medicaid and the Health First Indiana Program.
- To prioritize education surrounding vaccinations and immunizations.
McCormick’s health care plan and policies have found a solid foundation on abortion rights, which she says is the very center of her plan and the gubernatorial election.
“It’s about making sure that Hoosiers are heard,” McCormick said. “This election, 100%, is a referendum on abortion rights. It’s a referendum on our freedoms.”
Donald Rainwater, Libertarian candidate
Rainwater’s health care policies are centered around medical freedom and individual choice. The four main points are:
- Health care coverage and mandates
- Libertarian stance: Government should not coerce citizens into purchasing health insurance.
- Voluntary vaccinations: Government should not require vaccines.
- Mask mandates: Government should not require mask mandates.
- Strengthening legal protections
- Living wills and medical power of attorney: Rainwater will work to strengthen these protections.
- Transparent processes: Rainwater will ensure that living wills and medical power of attorney documents are accessible, well-understood and respected by providers.
- Paternal rights and minor children
- Autonomy for parents: Hoosiers must retain the right to make decisions for their children.
- Informed consent: Parents should receive comprehensive information about treatments, vaccines and potential risks.
- Indiana as a beacon of medical freedom
- Lead by example: Rainwater will champion medical freedom.
Rainwater is pro-life and upholds the non-aggression principle, which asserts that the initiation of aggression, whether by physical force or coercion, is always illegitimate. Rainwater also supports legalizing and decriminalizing marijuana.
“Health care and health care insurance are areas where Hoosiers need our federal and state governments to reduce the monopolistic regulations that have created limited competition, a lack of true innovation and high costs,” Rainwater said.
For more information about Braun’s health care policies, visit mikebraunforindiana.com. To read McCormick’s policies, visit mccormickforgov.com. Rainwater’s can be found at rainwaterforindiana.com.
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This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
