Advocates push back against Braun Medicaid crackdown INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A health advocate is pushing back against Gov. Mike Braun calling Medicaid “broken” and worry his administration’s directive to stop advertising the program may cause the number of uninsured Hoosiers to spike. Milele Kennedy, executive director of Gennesaret Free Clinics, said, “People are already unclear about the options available when it comes to health care.” Medicaid is the federal-state program that helps pay for health care for the needy, aged, blind and disabled, and for low-income families with children. Gennesaret Free Clinics serves thousands of people without insurance free medical clinics, a dental clinic, women’s health services, and health recovery homes. In 2024, Kennedy said, the nonprofit saw a 50% increase in patients. “Many of the people that come through our doors don’t know what the resources are and just need immediate help.” U.S. Census data shows more than 8% of Hoosiers are uninsured. More than 1 in 10 Hoosiers in Marion County lack health insurance, according to Gennesaret.  Kennedy believes Braun’s order to stop advertising Medicaid programs from the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) on radio and television could cause those numbers to rise. “Receiving information for health care benefits is vital for the population that we serve.” Kennedy said, “What we want to ensure is that we advocate for those that need assistance, and figure out how we can all work together to ensure that those who need access can continue to receive it.” On Wednesday, Braun called Medicaid “a broken program.” “In the sense that they don’t know what to do with it out in Congress in terms of sustaining it long term,” said the Republican governor inaugurated earlier this month.  More than 1 in 4 Hoosiers rely on some form of Medicaid. FSSA says Indiana has had a larger number of enrollees since the COVID-19 pandemic compared to similar states. State Rep. Gregory Porter, a Democrat from Indianapolis, said that Braun “is bringing that Washington philosophy back to Indiana. “A program cannot be broken that provides health care for 2 million Hoosiers, from young ones up to senior citizens.” Porter says he doesn’t see the logic in getting people off of Medicaid if they’re going to be left uninsured. “You’re complaining about the cost, but you’re going to create a pathway of higher expenses by not advertising and (cause) people getting sicker and winding up in the emergency room.”  FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob, who supports work requirements for Medicaid and has taken steps to regulate eligibility, said in a hearing Wednesday that the state doesn’t want to advertise a program it’s struggling to fund. “It was never intended to be an open-ended entitlement with no responsibility on the part of the recipient.” Braun’s advertising order has been estimated to cost Indiana businesses several million dollars. While minority communities are more likely to rely on Medicaid, state numbers show more than half of enrollees in Indiana are white, leading experts to say these decisions will impact every community in the state. Josh Kelley, Braun’s chief of staff, has claimed the state is not trying to intentionally decrease the number of people enrolled in Medicaid.