Trendline Health | IN Pulse | 2026 | Issue 1
Policy & Regulation
Indiana secures $207M kickoff from $50B federal Rural Health Transformation Program for GROW initiative
Five-year plan targets access, workforce, innovation, and tech in rural areas; regional grants empower local solutions – “Indiana’s rural communities are the backbone of our state” – Gov. Mike Braun.
GIANT fm / CMS
Elevance Health imposes 10% penalty on hospital reimbursements for out-of-network providers in non-emergent care
Policy effective Jan 1 in Indiana + 10 states; exemptions for emergencies, rural/critical-access hospitals – sparks pushback from AHA/FAH over No Surprises Act impacts.
Inside INdiana BusinessIndiana Medicaid forecast delivers $466M biennium savings from enrollment declines
$314M in SFY 2026 + $152M in 2027 driven by HIP/HHW drops after redetermination changes & ad ban.“By carefully managing Medicaid expenditures,Indiana is strengthening the program’s long-term sustainability and ensuring responsible use of public funds.” –Secretary Mitch Roob.
Innovation & Tech
Reid Health deploys ambient AI documentation to slash clinician burnout
Integrated EHR tool generates notes from patient conversations → physicians gain 2–3 hours/day, more natural interactions, better Google reviews.“We want our doctors to be doctors again” – CIO Muhammad Siddiqui
Workforce & Leadership
Lutheran Hospital appoints Dr. Dillon Bannis as new Chief Medical Officer
Chicago health equity veteran takes helm at Fort Wayne flagship → emphasizes drivers of health like food insecurity, mental health, and community collaboration.
WLKI
Growth & Finance
Indiana’s 2026 economic outlook remains robust despite national slowdowns
Real GDP growth outpaced U.S. & neighbors in recent quarters; workforce apprenticeships, semiconductor investments, and credit rating strength signal continued momentum.
Indiana Business Review
Sources: Becker’s Hospital Review, Inside INdiana Business, GIANT fm, CMS, WBIW, Indiana Business Review, WLKI, Fierce Healthcare
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