Hoosier Health Matters
Season 1, Episode 16
Date: 5/30/2025
Title: The federal budget, vaccine policy process woes, and judicial cases that will affect us all

**Editorial note: Gabe's audio this week is wonky because he had to tape in a room that apparently had demons in it that could only be heard by the microphone**

In this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson update public health news including a brain dead woman in Georgia who is forced to continue a pregnancy, they highlight what the Federal budget passed by the House of Representatives may mean for Indiana, and process changes to decision making at the FDA and CDC that undermine the credibility of national vaccine policy. They then take a deep dive with Good Trouble board member and lawyer Jane Hartsock on two cases being heard that will have major impacts for health policy in Indiana.

00:00- Intro

1:25- Georgia case of a brain dead woman forced to continue a pregnancy against her family's will; the statute that requires this exists also in Indiana law (see this interactive map outlining state laws regarding pregnancy and advance directives)

3:20- the POST form in Indiana and pregancy

6:27- The federal budget cuts medicaid dramatically and what it will mean for Indiana (it is not good)

9:17- ban on medicaid/affordable care act plans from paying for gender-affirming transition care even for adults

10:28- Major changes to COVID-19 vaccine policy (NEJM announcement, HHS announcement)

16:30- New MAHA report released; more of the same as we have discussed

17:55- Interview with Jane Hartsock about health policy legal cases

20:05- U.S. v. Skrmetti

24:38- The Religious Freedom Restoration Act challenge to the Indiana abortion ban

29:40- little things/good news

31:34- Wrap up

Join us at the Good Trouble Annual Meeting (zoom) on June 23, 2025 730-830 pm EST

Elijah Bosslet provided editorial assistance on this week's episode

Thanks for listening!
Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram

Hoosier Health Matters
Season 1, Episode 15
Date: 5/16/2025
Title: What is MAHA all about anyway? And what the heck do lobbyists do?

In this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson update public health news including Measles in Indiana (flat, thank goodness), shenanigans related to a lawsuit and FDA investigation into the safety of mifepristone, and the shameful fact that Indiana has pulled out of the SUN Bucks program. They then discuss the nomination of Casey Means as surgeon general, someone who is not a practicing or board-certified physician- they use this to discuss the goals of the Make America Healthy Again movement. They then interview Amy Levander, Good Trouble lobbyist, to talk about what a lobbyist does and get her thoughts on the 2025 legislative session.

00:00- Intro

1:45- Measles is flat

1:55- Mifepristone shenanigans- the Trump admin wanted to throw out a case, but for all the wrong reasons. And now the FDA is going to re-review Mifepristone based on junk science

4:45- Indiana opts out of the SUN Bucks program, which provides food money to low-income families

6:57- The nomination of Casey Means for Surgeon General, who never finished a residency and does not have a medical license (here is the newsletter we reference in this discussion). Here we discuss what MAHA means and how there are actually good policy ideas in the movement (but the devil is in the details of the execution).

14:42- discussion of the "Why Should I Trust You?" podcast

16:10- What does a lobbyist do? Interview with Amy Levander, lobbyist for The Good Trouble Coalition

29:32- Little things you can do this week- call your representative and urge them to not cut medicaid funding. And call Senator Young and Banks and urge them to not confirm Casey Means. You can find scripts for both phone calls here.

30:49- Wrap Up

Meet us in person at Half Liter BBQ on May 29th from 630-8 PM EST!

Thanks for listening!
Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram

Hoosier Health Matters
Season 1, Episode 14
Date: 5/2/2025
Title: Exhaling after the legislative session

In this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson update public health news including Measles in Indiana (flat, thank goodness), and journals get a threatening letter from a US attorney. They then talk about the end of the session: a wrap up on the bills GTC followed, a silver lining (cigarette tax), and discuss the massive budget cuts, including to public health funding (not good). Also, this will be the last weekly edition of this podcast, which will start dropping every other week (next episode 5/16/2025).

00:00- Intro

01:20- ANNOUNCEMENT- podcast moving to every other week episodes

02:58- updates- measles flat, legal challenge against HHS public health funding cuts, journals sent nutso letter from US Attorney for DC (response from lancet)

06:08- what the heck does "sine die" mean?

07:23- 30,000 foot view of the legislative session (from Good Trouble's point of view)

10:46- The terrible budget and slash and burn end to the budget bill (HEA 1001)

12:34- Massive cuts to public health in the 2025-2026 budget

17:15- The silver lining (raising the cigarette tax)

22:58- Little things to do this week including a Good Trouble meetup

24:38- Wrap up

Thanks for listening!
Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram