INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Governor Mike Braun, joined by lawmakers from both parties, celebrated the signing of 10 new health care laws on Wednesday, touting them as major steps toward lowering medical costs and increasing accountability in Indiana’s health care system.
One key new law requires health insurers to offer credits to consumers who find medical services at lower prices than their plans provide. Other measures include requiring health plan administrators to act in their clients’ best interest and setting up a reimbursement system for cancer trial patients covering travel and lodging expenses.
Health care was a major issue during the 2025 legislative session—only behind property taxes and the state budget in importance—and was one of the few areas where lawmakers found broad bipartisan agreement. Five of the 10 bills signed into law passed with unanimous or near-unanimous support.
“These new laws will make health care more transparent and accountable in Indiana,” Braun said at the ceremony. “Even (in Washington), it can make some movement. Here, we accomplished a lot in one year. Hallelujah.”
Among the most sweeping reforms is House Bill 1003, which expands the state’s right-to-try law and mandates that nonprofit hospitals earning over $2 billion in net patient revenue apply site-of-service payments to off-campus outpatient facilities.
The bill also tightens timelines for cost estimates—requiring insurers to provide them within 48 hours instead of five days—and prohibits denying coverage solely because a referral came from an out-of-network or independent provider.
House Bill 1004 adds financial accountability, requiring nonprofit hospitals to submit audited financial statements. It also creates a Medicaid direct payment model for hospitals and mandates that hospital pricing across nonprofit systems match or fall below the statewide average by 2029.
Rep. Julie McGuire (R-Indianapolis), who sponsored two of the signed bills—including the insurance credit bill—praised the teamwork behind the legislation. “I think we did so many things,” she said. “There’s so many pieces of this puzzle. I think a lot of these bills will work together.”
Democrats, while acknowledging several consumer wins, voiced concerns over some aspects. Rep. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis), who authored the clinical trial reimbursement bill, warned that new Medicaid work requirements could hurt vulnerable residents.
“I would say it was a mixed bag,” Shackleford said. “Some bills are going to be detrimental, but we do have some positives in there.”
