Navigating healthcare is tough—soaring costs, confusing policies, and limited access to essential services. But Indiana lawmakers are working on solutions! In this episode of Session Sessions, Rep. Earl Harris Jr. and Rep. Blake Johnson sit down with Rep. Robin Shackleford, a leader in public health policy, to discuss cutting healthcare costs, Medicaid funding, medical transparency, and maternal health.

Learn about the push for lower drug prices, better healthcare access, and more support for Hoosier families. Don’t miss this deep dive into Indiana’s biggest health challenges and the policies aiming to fix them!

Show Notes
Topics Covered:

The high cost of healthcare – Why are hospital bills so expensive?

• Medical transparency laws – Can we finally see real pricing before treatment?
• Medicaid shortfalls – How Indiana is dealing with a billion-dollar “oops.”
• Preventative care & obesity solutions – Should Medicaid cover weight-loss drugs?
• The maternal health crisis – Why Indiana ranks poorly for maternal mortality rates.
• Nursing & doctor shortages – How loan forgiveness could bring more healthcare professionals to Indiana.
• Home healthcare struggles – Are untrained caregivers putting Hoosiers at risk?

Key Takeaways:

• Medical Costs: Indiana lawmakers are demanding transparency from hospitals to lower prices.
• Medicaid Reform: The state faces a billion-dollar healthcare funding shortfall, but cutting services isn’t the answer.
• Maternal Mortality Crisis: Indiana ranks among the worst states for maternal deaths—what’s being done?
• New Legislation: Bills are in the works to expand preventative care, lower cancer research costs, and improve access to doctors.

Blake and Earl sit down with Representative Jim Pressel to tackle Indiana's looming $1.3 billion road funding shortfall. They break down the impact of inflation, better gas mileage, and COVID-19 on state revenues, and explore solutions, including proposals adopted by Tennessee and Georgia.

Pressel also shares the emotional moments behind key safety initiatives, which have already made construction zones safer for workers and motorists alike. Plus, hear Pressel’s personal journey from business owner to policymaker, and Blake’s bittersweet announcement about stepping back from the roads committee.

Tune in for a candid conversation about the challenges and opportunities in funding Indiana’s future infrastructure!

Show Notes
Topics Discussed:

1. Indiana’s Road Funding Crisis
   • Projected $1.2–$1.3 billion shortfall by 2030.
   • Impact of inflation, fuel efficiency, and reduced gas sales.
   • Challenges in balancing state vs. local funding needs.
2. Tolling as a Revenue Solution
   • Insights from Tennessee and Georgia’s tolling models.
   • Balancing fairness for Indiana taxpayers and out-of-state drivers.
   • Legislative steps needed to implement tolling.
3. Safety Innovations in Construction Zones
   • Success of initiatives reducing speeds by 8 mph in work zones.
   • Emotional stories from the roads committee about worker and motorist safety.
4. Emotional Moments in Policy Making
   • Reflections on the human impact of infrastructure policy.
   • The challenges of addressing distracted driving and other safety issues.
5. Personal Journeys
   • Jim Pressel’s path to public office, fueled by a desire to influence policy affecting his business.
   • Blake Johnson’s decision to step back from the roads committee due to a new full-time job.

As we hit the three week(ish) mark of the Indiana General Assembly, Earl and Blake sit down to chat about the new session calendar, eyebrow-raising legislation on adjusting the state lines and dissolving public schools, and what we'll be working on during the budget session.

In a special episode for the podcast, we're joined by Mark Fisher, chief executive officer of the Indiana Association of REALTORS. We cover a lot of ground - discussing housing affordability, the walkability premium, quality of life, shortages in inventory and the important role the association plays in advocating for smart public policy.

This episode of Session Sessions is sponsored by the Indiana Association of REALTORS.

Fort Wayne's Rep. Kyle Miller returns to the podcast to discuss the upcoming legislative session, what he's learned in his first few years as a legislator (including from serving alongside his two-time opponent), and a slew of policies (like lowering the costs of prescription meds) that he's advocating for coming into 2025.

This episode is sponsored by the Indiana Association of Realtors.

After a few months off, Blake and Earl are back at the mic for a conversation with auctioneer, realtor, cowboy, and - for the first time on the show, Republican - Rep. Ethan Manning. Rep. Manning, who chairs the Public Policy Committee, discusses the work of tackling alcohol laws that have been largely unchanged since the 1930's, modernizing the gaming industry, and maneuvering through the not-always-monolithic supermajority.

This episode is sponsored by the Indiana Association of Realtors.

Advocacy in the Statehouse takes many forms, and while people often think of the paid professionals who spend their days in the hallways, nonprofit organizations also play a crucial role in educating constituents and championing issues. Linda Hanson, president of the League of Women Voters - Indiana, joins the pod to talk about the role they play in shaping Indiana's future.

Rep. Greg Porter, chief Democrat on the powerful Ways and Mean Committee, rejoins the podcast to reflect on the 2024 legislative session and to give us a preview as we look to the interim and the upcoming budget session.