INDIANAPOLIS – By Friday morning, three Republican governors in states that had expanded Medicaid have come out against Senate Republicans’ health care bill. Republican governors John Kasich, Brian Sandoval and Charlie Baker expressed concern over how cutting a program critical in the fight against the opioid epidemic would impact their constituents. Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody questioned why Governor Eric Holcomb hasn’t taken a similar position.
“Governor Holcomb knows HIP 2.0 specifically, and Medicaid broadly, are critical tools in the fight against opioids,” said Zody. “It’s perplexing that Holcomb hasn’t come out against this bill considering the deep cuts it proposes to Medicaid. This epidemic supposedly keeps Holcomb up at night, so opposing this bill should be easy.” News outlets are reporting a “growing rift” among Republicans over cuts to Medicaid impacting the fight against the opioid epidemic. Considering that nearly 25 percent of Hoosiers served by HIP 2.0 suffer from a substance abuse disorder, Holcomb’s decision to withhold support of this bill should be an easy decision. “This should be a no-brainer for Governor Holcomb,” said Zody. “Yes, he’s ‘examining the bill’ but if he means what he says about helping Hoosiers break the cycle of addiction, he can’t support this bill. You can’t be both for the bill and say you’re doing everything you can for Hoosiers facing addiction. It’s one or the other and Hoosiers are watching.” ### |