Measles is back in Indiana. RFK Jr.'s next moves carry high stakes.
Amid the noise and chaos coming out of Washington, health care must stay rooted in facts, centered on people and resilient against political swings.
We now have our first confirmed case of measles in Indiana this year. It was only a matter of time. As misinformation spreads and trust in public health institutions continues to erode, we are seeing the consequences in real time.
Measles is back. In rural counties, some seniors are choosing between medication and meals. These are the stakes as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new secretary of Health and Human Services, brings his bold, divisive health care vision to Indiana. It's a high-wire act of promise and peril that has the potential to reshape Hoosier health for a generation, for better or worse.
Indiana grapples with a 38% obesity rate (among the nation's highest), 12% diabetes prevalence and an opioid overdose death rate of 32 per 100,000 — compounded by rural health care deserts where 1.5 million Hoosiers live.
Opinion: HIP faces deep cuts as Republicans hide behind Medicaid's complexity
Yet, we boast top-tier health care assets and institutions. Kennedy's reforms could harness these strengths or squander them.
His push for preventive care, such as subsidized school nutrition programs or free annual screenings for diabetes, could cut Indiana's chronic disease burden, where heart disease kills over 13,000 Hoosiers yearly. His drive to slash pharmaceutical costs might ease the strain on families juggling insulin and rent. And his backing of integrative medicine blending conventional and alternative approaches could expand personalized care options, resonating with Hoosiers' growing interest in holistic health.
But Kennedy's vaccine skepticism raises a red flag. Rural pockets like Dubois and Orange counties already wrestle with fragile trust in public health, where vaccination rates hover below 85%, short of the 95% needed for herd immunity.
Texas is reeling from a measles outbreak with over 200 cases and two children dead — a grim warning of what declining rates can unleash. Imagine losing a toddler to a preventable illness. It is a tragedy Indiana must act to avoid.
Kennedy's attacks on the Centers for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration stoke more worry. These agencies underpin Indiana's crisis response, guiding the state Department of Health's vaccination policies and emergency playbooks. Undermining them without solid alternatives could leave us exposed in the next pandemic.
Hicks: America's research dominance was hard-won. We're sabotaging it.
Economically, Kennedy's unpredictability threatens Indiana's biomedical sector, a job engine employing thousands at risk if innovation falters under policy chaos.
Hoosiers should seize the good while dodging the harm. State leaders and the health department can lead the charge:
Fund a $5 million statewide campaign — ads, town halls and school flyers — debunking vaccine myths, led by trusted local doctors and parents.
Equip every county health department with mobile vaccine clinics by 2026, targeting schools where rates dip below 90%.
Push federally for transparent, evidence-based health care reforms, ensuring integrative medicine and drug pricing controls are fair and effective.
We can embrace Kennedy's boldest reforms, like cheaper drugs and healthier kids, but we must hold the line on science. This is Gov. Mike Braun's opportunity to lead an IDOH that's guided by facts rooted in science and committed to the health of all Hoosiers.
Dr. Raja Ramaswamy is a first-generation Indian American, an Indianapolis-based physician and the author of "You Are the New Prescription."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: RFK's anti-vax views are risky for Indiana
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In the end, more than 18,000 people lost coverage, employment rates did not budge, and the state wasted $26 million on a failed experiment. In some states, that will mean lines around the block at overwhelmed county offices. In others, dropped calls, system outages, and piles of unprocessed renewals. These challenges compound. When the website breaks, you call. When your call drops, you drive to the office. Attrition will spike as the overmatched Medicaid staff are increasingly under siege, overtime is mandatory, and time off is cancelled. Smaller and smaller numbers of staff will bear larger and larger workloads until the system collapses. And, eligible Americans – working adults, kids, seniors, students, and adults with illnesses and disabilities – will still have no Medicaid. Hospitals will provide more uncompensated coverage, putting some – especially rural hospitals and children's hospitals – at risk of failure. This bill sets up state Medicaid agencies to fail at their most basic task – ensuring that eligible people have health insurance. It doesn't matter to a pregnant mom why her Medicaid is cut, she is going to miss prenatal visits and skip her toddler's check-up. If Hawley wants to stand up for over one million Missourians who rely on Medicaid, he should oppose this bill. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
