Medicaid Oversight Committee makes no legislative recommendations – again

A committee tasked with making legislative recommendations on Medicaid once again submitted a final report with no recommendations. This means the committee has not produced any recommendations since it began in 2023.

Last year, Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Mishawaka), the committee chair, said they would use any information from hearings to inform recommendations this year ahead of the new state budget. He said the growth of Medicaid is not “sustainable.”

This year’s Medicaid Oversight Committee chair, Rep. Brad Barrett (R-Richmond) submitted an “informational report” that summarized the only meeting the committee held. The committee did not propose or vote on any recommendations.

Barrett did not respond to a request for comment.

Rep. Greg Porter (D-Indianapolis), the House minority member on the committee, said lawmakers need to have meaningful conversations about what the future of Medicaid in the state holds, but only having one meeting cut off that debate.

“We're going to be extremely vocal in regards to the lack of transparency and the lack of communication with the minority party,” Porter said.

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During the only meeting, Democratic lawmakers did ask if the committee could meet again. Porter said that request “fell on deaf ears.” He said people deserve to know what is happening with their Medicaid coverage.

“I truly believe there are discussions in secrecy right now about Medicaid with the super majority leadership, which we're not privy to, to know what they're thinking at this particular time,” Porter said.

Porter also said the financial situation as a result of last year’s Medicaid forecasting error is not as bad as it seemed. He said Democrats were ignored when they addressed fiscal concerns earlier this year.

Abigail is our health reporter. Contact them at aruhman@wboi.org.