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 27
Date: 10/17/2025
Title: Why we stay in Indiana and why the government shutdown over public health is important

00:00- Intro

1:37- CDC director uses his best vibes to call for the separation of the MMR vaccine into three separate shots

2:19- CDC ACIP recommendations adopted, and they quietly walked back the "only risk factors under 60" recommendation to recommend it with shared decision-making

3:13- New study shows that, even in the last winter season, COVID vaccination was massively protective against hospitalizations and death

4:15- CDC lays off 1400 employees, immediately rehires half, administrative malfeasance continues

5:50- 6 former surgeons general call for the resignation of RFK, Jr. A big deal.

6:52- The federal shutdown is about public health and pulling back the ACA subsidies is bad for all Americans

9:36- Gabe and Tracey talk to Dr. Veronica Santana-Ufret about why they stay in Indiana. Gabe mentions the book Hoosiers: A new history of Indiana (and this link is to a local bookstore!)

29:50- Call your legislators to oppose redistricting, fill out this form, and we will send you Good Trouble swag

31:00- Wrap up

Thanks for listening!
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