STATEHOUSE (July 13, 2023) — State Sen. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso) will serve as chair of the Interim Study Committee on Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Human Services and as a member of several other study committees in preparation for the 2024 legislative session.
"I'm always eager to further research how we can improve our health care system, specifically in regard to the market concentration of the overarching health care industry," Charbonneau said. "I look forward to performing a thorough review of health care costs, specifically with regard to health care industries such as health insurance, hospitals and pharmacy benefit managers."
Charbonneau's other assignments include:
During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers expressed concerns on Indiana's expanding Medicaid spending when crafting the new state budget. This is why House Enrolled Act 1001 established the Medicaid Oversight Committee, which will holistically review and make recommendations concerning all requests for the Indiana Medicaid program's new and existing services.
"Indiana Medicaid spending has more than doubled over the last decade and outpaced increases for K-12 education funding. This is largely due to expanded federal and state Medicaid eligibility and covered services," Charbonneau said. "The Medicaid Oversight Committee will study current and predicted state expenditures for the Indiana Medicaid Program, which will help ensure Medicaid services are helping Hoosiers who need it most and taxpayers' money is being used responsibly and purposefully."
Established by House Enrolled Act 1004, the Health Care Cost Oversight Task Force will review and make recommendations concerning Indiana's health care costs in comparison to other states and reductions in health care costs with the goal of ensuring that any cost reductions reach the health care payer.
"There is no excuse for why Hoosiers are paying some of the highest health care costs in the nation when we have some of the lowest ratings in nursing home quality and preventable hospitalizations," Charbonneau said. "This is why I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Health Care Cost Oversight Task Force so we can continue our work from the 2023 legislative session and further get ahold of and improve Indiana's health care system."
Legislators will meet over the summer and fall months to discuss topics approved by the bipartisan Legislative Council, which is comprised of 16 voting members – eight from the Senate and eight from the House of Representatives.
To view study committee agendas and stream hearings online, visit iga.in.gov. To view a list of topics that will be examined by the committees, click here.
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State Sen. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso) represents Senate District 5, which includes
Pulaski and White counties, and portions of Jasper and Porter counties.
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