MAHA Comes to Indiana

It’s time to Make Indiana Healthy Again. That was the message Governor Mike Braun shared with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at an event in Indianapolis this week.

Before an enthusiastic crowd, Governor Braun announced a comprehensive “Make Indiana Healthy Again” agenda that included several executive orders aimed at combating public health crises, refocusing nutrition programs to actually be nutritious, protecting welfare resources for the truly needy, and helping Hoosiers lead healthier, happier lives.

The highlight of the event was Governor Braun formally submitting a waiver request to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to ban candy and soda from the state’s food stamp program.

Governor Braun recognized the growing problem facing our food stamp program: Taxpayers are subsidizing a health crisis. A disproportionate amount of food stamp spending goes toward junk food, and despite being a program designed to help low-income families access nutritious food, food stamp recipients have worsening diets and health outcomes compared to nonparticipants.

Indiana is not immune to these health concerns, with weight issues affecting nearly 70 percent of adults and nearly one-third of adolescents. Banning junk food from food stamps is a popular reform and a step towards a healthier future for the Hoosier State.

In addition to the junk food ban, Governor Braun signed orders to improve program integrity for both food stamps and Medicaid and to encourage workers off the sidelines by further utilizing Indiana’s Employment and Training program.

Governor Braun has hit the ground running in his first months in office with his Indiana First agenda.

For more on Indiana, visit thefga.org/Indiana