Indiana

HIP faces deep cuts as Republicans hide behind Medicaid’s complexity | Opinion

Published

10 months ago

March 10, 2025

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HIP faces deep cuts as Republicans hide behind Medicaid’s complexity | Opinion

The logic is simple: If you can’t win on policy or public support, you try to win with semantics and confusion.

Jay Chaudhary
| Opinion Contributor

Even by government standards, Medicaid is notoriously complex — an intricate web of carve-outs, cross-subsidies, and shared state-federal financial responsibilities. I once heard the funding structure of a particular Indiana Medicaid program described as “a house of cards built on top of a shell game,” which feels like a fair description of Medicaid as a whole.

At the same time, Medicaid — especially Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (commonly known as Obamacare) — is widely popular. This puts conservatives seeking to cut the program in a bind: They must find a way to undermine it without directly attacking something voters support. The program’s bureaucratic complexity provides that opening.

President Trump and congressional Republicans have ruled out major structural changes to Medicaid, instead focusing on cutting more arcane and opaque features of the program, such as eliminating states’ ability to use provider taxes.

Provider taxes are levies imposed by states on health care providers to help cover Medicaid expansion costs. They are critical to funding Medicaid expansion in many states, including Indiana. The ability to impose these taxes is essential for maintaining state support of Medicaid expansion. To justify eliminating these arrangements, opponents have labeled them as waste, fraud or abuse, using loaded phrases like “money laundering” or “bribery.”

It is fair to critique provider taxes as bad public policy, that they are overly complex and/or create significant disincentives for fiscal restraint. However, these mechanisms are a legitimate exercise of state taxation power on actual commerce within state borders, not a nefarious backroom scheme to defraud taxpayers.

This push to end provider taxes is a prime example of using bureaucratic complexity as a smokescreen for deep cuts to the program. By framing it as a technical adjustment that merely enhances efficiency, rather than a direct funding reduction, Congress can obscure the real impact: jeopardizing Medicaid expansion and restricting access to care for millions of Americans.

The logic is simple: If you can’t win on policy or public support, you try to win with semantics and confusion.

Healthy Indiana Plan could reduce care for hundreds of thousands

Indiana’s version of the provider tax, the Hospital Assessment Fee, plays a crucial role in funding Medicaid by generating federal matching funds. This money is essential for maintaining hospital reimbursement rates and supporting the Healthy Indiana Plan, the state’s Medicaid expansion program under Obamacare. The HAF allows Indiana to sustain and expand access to care without relying entirely on state general fund dollars.

The HAF generates over $1 billion annually, bringing in additional federal money that hospitals rely on to care for Medicaid patients. With state lawmakers already concerned about rising Medicaid costs, finding an additional $1 billion to sustain HIP could be an insurmountable challenge.

Eliminating the provider tax may sound like a mild technocratic tweak, but in reality, it would gut Medicaid expansion, destabilize hospital finances, and reduce access to care for hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers. By branding these changes as a crackdown on “waste,” politicians can claim to be protecting taxpayers while sidestepping responsibility for the millions who could lose health care access.

A major threat to addiction services

Over the past decade, Indiana has significantly expanded access to addiction treatment, including residential care, medication-assisted treatment and peer support, leading to one of the largest drops in overdose deaths nationwide.

The heroic Hoosier recovery community deserves the most credit for these wins, and HIP is the policy and programmatic foundation that makes it possible. Traditional Medicaid primarily covers the aged, blind, and disabled. Medicaid expansion programs (like HIP) extend coverage to a broader low-income population.

Most individuals with substance use disorder are both low-income and not classified as disabled, meaning they would have no access to care without Medicaid expansion. The elimination of the HAF — and the likely cuts to HIP that would follow — would reverse Indiana’s progress, severely undermining our fight against addiction.

It is reasonable to argue that addressing the national debt may require difficult choices, including potential limits on Medicaid spending (although that argument is severely undermined when accompanied by a deficit-exploding tax cut).

Likewise, a philosophical debate about the government’s role in health care or Medicaid expansion’s mixed track record on health outcomes is a legitimate discussion. But, if lawmakers want to debate Medicaid expansion, they should do so transparently, without disguising significant cuts as routine and harmless policy adjustments.

Jay Chaudhary is the former director of the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction and former chair of the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission.

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Indiana

Chicago-area weather forecast: Several inches of snow expected for NW Indiana Wednesday, Thursday

Published

9 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Press Room

Chicago-area weather forecast: Several inches of snow expected for NW Indiana Wednesday, Thursday

CHICAGO (WLS) — Parts of northern Indiana could see several inches of lake-effect snow Wednesday and Thursday.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 7 a.m. ET Wednesday until 1 p.m. ET Thursday for La Porte County, Indiana and Berrien County, Michigan.

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There is a Winter Weather Advisory from 8 a.m. Wednesday until 4 a.m. Thursday for Porter County, Indiana.

There is a Winter Weather Advisory from 7 a.m. ET Wednesday until 1 p.m. Thursday for Starke County, Indiana.

Bands of heavy snow are expected Wednesday afternoon. Two to 5 inches of snow are possible in Porter, while La Porte parts of Berrien could see more than 6 inches of snow, ABC7 Chicago meteorologist Tracy Butler said.

Snow will continue through Wednesday night into Thursday morning before tapering off during the day on Thursday.

A band of snow is expected to move through the Illinois part of the Chicago area around 7 a.m. Butler said light accumulations of less than an inch are possible.

Temperatures across the area will drop steadily throughout the week.

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Music therapy research program helps Indiana residents recovering from opioid use disorder

Published

21 hours ago

January 13, 2026

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Music therapy research program helps Indiana residents recovering from opioid use disorder

A team of music therapy researchers at IU Indianapolis is partnering with Hoosier communities to help residents recover from chronic opioid use. The team is, from left, SJ Stuckenchneider, undergraduate research assistant; Kate Myers-Coffman, principal investigator; Caitlin Krater, co-investigator and study music therapist; and Shelby Schuller-Hsu, study project manager. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University

A team of music therapy researchers at Indiana University Indianapolis is partnering with Hoosier communities to help residents recover from chronic opioid use. The team was recently awarded $310,000 through a State Opioid Response Grant from the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addictions. The funds will help the program expand, demonstrating IU’s leadership in finding innovative, effective solutions for addiction recovery and mental health across the Hoosier state.

In Marion County, the team led by Kate Myers-Coffman, visiting assistant professor of music therapy in the Herron School of Art and Design, has been building a music therapy protocol through a partnership with the Indianapolis Comprehensive Treatment Center, a state-funded outpatient opioid treatment facility.

The sessions are designed to train the brain to restore impulse control and reconnect with healthy sources of pleasure, like music and meditation, instead of relying on opioids. The Herron team’s research is the first in the U.S. to focus on how music therapy, paired with medication-assisted recovery, can help people who engage with recovery via outpatient clinics.

IU music therapy researcher Caitlin Krater plays the guitar during a music therapy session. The sessions are designed to train the brain ... IU researcher Caitlin Krater plays the guitar during a music therapy session. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University

Supporting Indiana communities

During the pilot phase of the study, 19 participants attended drop-in music therapy sessions at the Indianapolis Comprehensive Treatment Center over two eight-week periods. They later reported significant improvements in calmness, self-kindness, hopefulness and readiness to cope with stress.

“It gives me the opportunity to relax and focus on what I’m trying to do in my day,” said Ed Robinson, an Indianapolis resident who has regularly attended the center’s music therapy sessions for the past year and a half. “I never thought about music being a way for me to do that until now.”

Caitlin Krater leads a music therapy session at the Indianapolis Comprehensive Treatment Center, which specializes in outpatient opioid recovery. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University

The new funding will help the current program expand, offering three 90-minute sessions per week rather than one 60-minute session. It will also help the program build relationships with additional clinics in high-need Indiana communities, including Kokomo and Charlestown, and pilot a program for Dove Recovery House, a residential recovery center for women.

“We partner with community clinics to find out how we could uniquely support the needs of the people who go there for care, and then we develop programming that’s tailored to them,” Myers-Coffman said.

Caitlin Krater, a board-certified music therapist and Ph.D. student, has been working on the research team since the study began. Krater is developing a separate protocol designed for pregnant or postpartum women in recovery, in addition to leading the music therapy sessions at the Indianapolis Comprehensive Treatment Center.

“There has historically been very limited research on music therapy embedded in outpatient opioid treatment programs, particularly in methadone clinic settings,” Krater said. “Most of the existing literature focuses on in-patient or residential contexts, so we are helping to fill an important gap.”

Participants improvise music during a music therapy session. Each instrument is tuned to allows everyone to play without worrying about the notes. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University

Medication assisted recovery is often necessary for chronic opioid users since they must wean themselves off of their body’s chemical dependence. Krater said medication assisted treatment is evidence-based and lifesaving, and for many people it is an essential part of stability, not a failure of recovery.

“This year, the state of Indiana passed legislation that increases access to medication assisted recovery,” Krater said. “Indiana has really been targeting the opioid epidemic, and the numbers are improving.”

Staying engaged in recovery is highly important for those struggling with opioid dependence. Krater said that finding coping mechanisms and systems of support outside of a clinical setting are essential for helping people stay engaged, which is what the team strives to provide.

Finding peace, practicing patience

“I find peace when I’m here,” Robinson said of the music therapy sessions. “I didn’t know what to expect, but this is one of the things that has kept me coming back, and it’s helped me not feel so ashamed.”

Robinson is a mechanic who recently took a leave of absence to undergo heart surgery. He said one of his favorite parts of music therapy is when Krater plays the monochord, an ancient string instrument that, when played in person, produces a deep, resonant tone that vibrates throughout the body.

Caitlin Krater, a music therapy researcher at IU Indianapolis, plays a monochord, an ancient string instrument. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University

Robinson said he has even started meditating in the mornings when he’s at home, humming or playing music to replicate the effects of the monochord.

After the hypnotic monochord session, Krater asks participants to choose from an assortment of instruments, including small tin drums, tambourines, maracas and wooden xylophones. Together, they play improvisationally as Krater strums a guitar. Each instrument is tuned to the C pentatonic scale, which allows everyone to play without worrying they will hit a “wrong” note.

Sometimes Krater will ask the group to share a word to guide their improvisational music session.

“It gives me the opportunity to relax and focus on what I’m trying to do in my day,” said Ed Robinson of Indianapolis, who has attended music therapy sessions for the past year and a half. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University

“I heard patience,” Krater said during one session. “That’s a great one. Let’s start a little slow to be patient and then build it up.”

Several of the participants gathered to talk about patience after they played their instruments. They agreed that practicing patience is important for recovery, since opioid use hijacks the brain, diminishing impulse control. They said taking time to pause and reflect can often be the difference between using and not using opioids.

“For me, it gave me an opportunity to look inside and ask myself some questions because in the hustle and bustle of life, you don’t always get a chance to do that, and that’s how I found myself in this situation in the first place,” Robinson said.

He said he hopes that music therapy of this nature will become more widely available to those in recovery because it has helped him a great deal.

“I’ve never once felt judged coming to this whole entire program, but especially this music aspect,” Robinson said. “It’s made a big difference for me, and I appreciate it. I’d like to see it go on forever.”

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Indiana

It’s been a predictably tough year for Indiana, even with Pascal Siakam playing like an All-Star

Published

1 day ago

January 13, 2026

Press Room

It’s been a predictably tough year for Indiana, even with Pascal Siakam playing like an All-Star

Indiana’s Pascal Siakam went 1-on-1 against Boston’s Derrick White as time was running out, backed into him a couple of times near the foul line, spun into the lane and then watched his shot kiss off the backboard and fall for what became a game-winner.

For the Pacers, it was joy.

There hasn’t been much of that this season.

Monday night’s 98-96 victory over the Celtics — one where Boston coach Joe Mazzulla answered every question in his postgame news conference by saying “illegal screen” — sent Indiana’s record to just 9-31 on the season, still the worst in the Eastern Conference. And that’s even with the Pacers now on a three-game winning streak.

It’s a far cry from seven months ago, when Indiana was in Game 7 of the NBA Finals and fully believing it was about to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder for the title. Then Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in the first half, Myles Turner left in free agency and … well, everything is different.

Except, that is, for Siakam. He was an All-Star last season, his third selection to the league’s showcase game, and has even better numbers this season. And with the debut of another new All-Star format this season — U.S. vs. the World — the forward from Cameroon is hoping to get another invite.

“It’s going to be an honor if it happens,” Siakam said. “I’m not too focused on it. I just try to be the best player that I could be out there every single night. Some nights are going to be great. Some nights are not. But I just stick to the work and hopefully it comes with some accomplishments.”

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, right, works the ball inside against the defense of Boston Celtics guard Jordan Walsh, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. Credit: AP/Doug McSchooler

Indiana coach Rick Carlisle has been campaigning. Siakam’s heroics on Monday night made it easy to keep it going.

“Just further makes the case for the All-Star team,” Carlisle said.

Siakam is averaging 23.5 points and 6.8 rebounds; only nine other players right now have numbers like that per game in both categories. It could be argued that he’s putting up those numbers for a team where he’s often the go-to option with Haliburton out for the year, and that’s fair. But Carlisle also points out that Siakam is leading by example, helping young players in new roles as the Pacers try to figure out who can best help them going forward.

“Pascal Siakam is one of the favorite players I’ve ever been around at any level,” Carlisle said. “He’s just amazing.”

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives to the basket... — Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. Credit: AP/Nell Redmond

The Pacers beat Sacramento on Dec. 8 for what was their sixth win of the season and the 999th in Carlisle’s career as a head coach. The milestone celebration was looming. The Pacers went into the next game wondering if that would be the night. It wasn’t. They did the same the next game. Again, it wasn’t. And so on. And so on. And so on. They lost 13 in a row. Carlisle was stuck on 999 wins for a month. It was Jan. 8 when the streak was snapped and the celebration finally happened.

“It took way too long,” Siakam said. “Yeah, too long. I mean, I think it was great, obviously, because he’s an amazing coach. It’s a great honor for him. And again, we’ve been trying not to think about it too much, but obviously, we’ve lost a lot of games. There’s just too much losing for my liking and for the liking of the team. So, I’m glad that we got that out of the way and hopefully we don’t find ourselves in that situation ever again.”

The Pacers are 3-0 since that losing streak. Siakam — a champion with Toronto in 2019 — has no delusions about what the rest of the season may bring. Haliburton will be back next season and Indiana should be vastly improved. Siakam isn’t thinking about that yet, though. For now, it’s just about what happens each day, with this team, and this three-game streak is a reminder that work is paying off.

“Definitely one of the most challenging years for me, I think, on the court and also even emotionally,” Siakam said. “All I really want is to win. And I’ve been so used to being in a winning situation, so this situation, it’s hard. It’s tough.”

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