Hoosier Health Matters – Details, episodes & analysis

Hoosier Health Matters
Season 1, Episode 29
Date: 11/14/2025
Title:  Indiana Freezes Childcare Vouchers, Legislators Target Mifepristone, and Why Syringe Exchange Matters

00:00- Intro

2:15- we will not have an episode the week of Thanksgiving- will drop the week after (December 5)

2:28- Special Session to start November 18, end before December 12 and it will be a part of the 2026 session

5:09- Indiana freezing childcare vouchers until 2027- leaving 31,000 families on a wait list

7:15- Letter to the White House from 55 Indiana legislators calling on a review of the safety of mifepristone is ideological hand-waving dressed up as a scientific question

11:00- The federal shutdown furloughed 50 Indiana Department of Health workers 

12:25- SNAP legal drama was dramatic

16:13- Interview with Alan Wichey, CEO of Damien Center, and Dr. Shane Avery, a physician from Scott County who was involved in the 2015 HIV outbreak- we talk to them about syringe exchange programs (you can get more info and help pass the law to allow Indiana to continue syringe exchange programs at www.protectsep.org)

39:58- Little things- look at the Mifepristone letter and if your senator or rep signed it, call them and let them know your thoughts. And call your state senator and representative and let them know your thoughts on the re-gerrymander attempt.

40:44- Wrap up

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Hoosier Health Matters
Season 1, Episode 28 
Date: 10/31/2025 
Title:  Indiana’s Medical Debt Shrug, SNAP Shutdown, and all you could want to know about FQHCs

00:00- Intro

3:05- They are going to try and re-gerrymander Indiana. Which is good for no one

4:50- The interim study committee on medical debt in Indiana released a report that said it was issuing no recommendations, despite the fact that 20% of Hoosiers have been reported to collections for medical debt

7:06- The first flu death was confirmed in Indiana this week. Get your flu vaccine. And check out the Indiana Influenza dashboard- it is cool

8:10- The federal shutdown continues; and SNAP funding has been cut off as of today.  This is a huge deal

9:45- The New England Journal and CIDRAP is going to publish an alternative to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, because it is now unreliable

11:20- Interview with Staci Walters about what federally qualified health centers are and why they are an important aspect of public health in Indiana

23:38- Little things- call your legislator to oppose re-gerrymandering

24:30- Wrap up

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Hoosier Health Matters
Season 1, Episode 19
Date: 7/11/2025
Title:  ACIP jumps the thimerosal shark, The Big Beautiful Bill really isn't, and we answer your questions

In this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson discuss the decision by the ACIP to remove thimerosal from vaccine formulations in the US, which will have little effect on vaccines here but underscore their escape from scientific decision-making. They also discuss the Indiana-specific effects of the Big Beautiful Bill on Medicaid and SNAP. It is not good. And a bunch of random questions about stuff.

00:00- Intro

02:15- BMV rule to disallow gender changes on state IDs- YOU CAN SUBMIT COMMENTS HERE

4:05- Indiana Department of Health abortion ban enforcement report doesn't do that much (full report at the bottom of this article)

4:53- ACIP bans thimerosal from vaccines, establishing firmly that they are more interested in making decisions based on vibes rather than science

7:26- AAP and other medical societies sue HHS over COVID-19 vaccine guidance 

8:06- another measles case (Putnam County) and convincing folks about vaccines

10:06- The BBB will make SNAP benefits much more expensive for Indiana and will likely cut about 12% of recipients

14:22- Medicaid changes in the big Beautiful bill will cut 127,000 Hoosiers from Medicaid and will jeopardize up to 12 rural hospitals in Indiana

20:08- How does medical debt show up in medical practice?

21:48- Why do states not embrace gun safety laws given the fact that it reduces death? (

24:18- Climate change and public health- we talk about Purple Air monitors among other things

28:19- Little things/good vibes

28:55- Wrap up

Thanks to Elijah Bosslet for editing assistance on this episode

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Hoosier Health Matters
Season 1, Episode 18
Date: 6/27/2025
Title:  ACIP shakeup, SCOTUS on trans care, and deconstructing the bogus mifepristone report

In this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson discuss the new members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and find many of them to be sus. They discuss SCOTUS's ruling on the Tennessee gender affirming care ban and they highlight the fact that opioid deaths are down 24% over the past year. And they interview Daniel Grossman MD, about the (bogus) recent mifepristone report that has provided cover for RFK, Jr. to review mifepristone.

00:00- Intro

1:58- submit questions for the next episode! Email us at goodtrouble@goodtroubleindiana.org

2:55- A breakdown of the members of the new ACIP committee (mostly sus)

8:15- SCOTUS uphold the Tennessee gender affirming care ban stand (not good)

9:25- LGBTQ youth specialization hotline discontinued by the federal government

10:38- Opioid deaths way down- see the CDC state-by-state dashboard

12:12- Interview with Dr. Daniel Grossman on the recent mifepristone report that has provided cover for RFK, Jr. to review mifepristone.

28:28- Little things or good vibes (call your Senators about the budget)

29:38- Wrap-up

Elijah Bosslet provided editorial assistance on this week's episode

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Hoosier Health Matters
Season 1, Episode 17
Date: 6/13/2025
Title:  When Protections Vanish: EMTALA, ACIP, and Indiana’s Hunger Crisis

In this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson update public health news including a discussion of the rescinding of a guidance about EMTALA in pregnancy (we will explain this- it is a big deal), RFK, Jr's move to fire all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and then we interview Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana's Hungry, about the state of food insecurity in Indiana.

00:00- Intro

01:16- The Trump Administration has rescinded a guidance regarding how EMTALA works for pregnant women who need an emergency abortion

10:21- RFK, Jr. has fired all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and will likely replace them with cranks and grifters

12:59- The Bethesda Declaration, an open letter by academics and scientists pushes back against the NIH

14:20- Interview with Emily Weikert Bryant, Executive Director of Feeding Indiana's Hungry, about food insecurity in Indiana

30:46- Little things- Call Senator Banks and Senator Young to urge them not to cut SNAP benefits- you can find their numbers and a script here

32:35- Wrap -up

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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

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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!

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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

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Hoosier Health Matters
Season 1, Episode 13
Date: 4/25/2025
Title:  SB1: The tax break likely to cost most Hoosiers more taxes

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 Universities pushing back against federal overreach. They then talk about SB 442 (the sex ed bill), and use it to explain how conference committees work. They then interview Professor Michael Hicks about Senate Bill 1, which dramatically changes how local taxes work.

00:00- intro

1:14- Updates: Measles cases relatively flat,  Universities push back against federal overreach, Op-ed about the effects of the NIH in Indiana

4:28- SEA 442 (sex ed bill) shenanigans teach us all about conference committees, you can watch the 13-minute meeting (but it has a good ending)

12:42- Interview with economics Professor Michael Hicks (Ball State University) about the details on SEA 1 ("property tax bill")

30:07- Little things to do this week- Call Senator Gary Byrne to let him know how important teaching consent in sex ed is! And call your Federal Senators and Representative and tell them to reinstate the funding of the NIH Women's Health Study.

31:48- Wrap up

Elijah Bosslet provided editorial assistance on this week's episode

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Hoosier Health Matters
Season 1, Episode 12
Date: 4/18/2025
Title:  The not-so-great plan to Make Indiana Healthy Again

In this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson update public health news including a brief discussion of how fluoride at reasonable doses in the water is beneficial, an update on bills in the legislature, and a breakdown of the nine Executive Orders in Governor Braun's "Make Indiana Healthy Again" initiative revealing that they are designed more to cut people off of SNAP benefits than actually make anyone more healthy.

00:00- intro

1:00- Apply to be a Good Trouble Coalition Board Member

1:35- Fluoride in drinking water

3:41- Bill update- SB 96 is dead, SB 475 (physician non-competes) is in conference committee, and SB 442 (sex ed) was improved but still isn't great, and the budget bill (HB 1001) battles are ongoing, but it's not great

11:30- A breakdown of the "Make Indiana Healthy Again" initiative announced this week, and looking at how the 9 Executive Orders that make up this initiative will make Hoosiers healthier (spoiler alert: most won't)

A terrific op ed on the Make Indiana Health Again by researcher Erika Cheng, PhD

24:05- Little things to do this week

24:47- Wrap up

Elijah Bosslet provided editorial assistance on this week's episode.

Thanks for listening!
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