Because Indiana has both a Senate and a House of Representatives, it is imperative members of both chambers work together with the same focus - doing what's good for Indiana.
I have worked closely with Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville) this session to focus on issues that affect women and families.
Although there is more interest in and knowledge of women's issues, Indiana has some laws limiting women's healthcare options. Two bills authored by Sen. Becker address these problems. After approval by the Senate, I was pleased to co-sponsor Senate Bills 438 and 554 so they could be heard by a House committee. Both were passed through the Public Health Committee, and will next be heard by the entire House.
Senate Bill 554 expands the list of providers authorized to provide screening for breast or cervical cancer for women seeing eligibility for Medicaid's cancer program.
The pink ribbons that abound on bumper stickers, lapels and stuffed animals show that many people are dedicated to finding a cure and easing cancer's burden, but since screening isn't readily available, we're doing something wrong.
Medicaid provisions for breast and cervical cancer extend to women who are under 65, have no credible health insurance and whose family income is less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
Data show that some women were screened at an unrecognized center and then had to be rescreened through a program recognized by the Indiana State Department of Health. Indiana shouldn't be the cause for the discomfort and expense of unnecessary multiple screenings.
Senate Bill 438, which addresses care of the elderly, likewise seeks to open more doors for women and families regarding healthcare. Women-and men-often have care responsibilities for people besides their children. As parents grow older, children often end up making decisions that affect everyone in the family.
SB 438 secures freedom when those hard decisions are made. It specifies that Medicaid recipients can decide whether to receive institutional care or home and community-based care.
This bill gives families the right to care for their loved ones at home. SB 438 models a "money-follows-the-person" plan in which Medicaid funds are directed to wherever the person chooses to receive care. SB 438 also makes these options available for recipients of CHOICE, the Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled program.
SB 438 is good for families because it does not limit them to a particular scenario when a loved one's health begins to fail, and it does not value one option over another.
I'd like to conclude by mentioning one of my bills, which Sen. Becker sponsored when it was sent to the Senate. House Bill 1021 also seeks to right a wrong concerning families.
HB 1021 increases the sentence for a driver who causes injury by recklessly passing a stopped school bus displaying an extended arm stop sign. It requires the courts to ask for suspension of the driver's license of the offender, and it increases the maximum fine from $1,000 to $5,000.
HB 1021 will show that Indiana takes the safety of our children seriously. Mothers, fathers and families need to know that the state of Indiana values your children's safety just as much as you do. HB 1021 has already passed a Senate committee and will be heard by the full Senate.
Please don't hesitate to contact me about things that concern you. Contact me by e-mail at h78@in.gov or by calling the Statehouse toll-free at 1-800-382-9841. It is also possible to write to me at 200 W. Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46204. |
