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Koch: Healthcare Reform Bills Pass Indiana Senate

Last updated on Thursday, February 2, 2017

(STATEHOUSE) - Two healthcare reform bills authored by State Sen. Eric Koch (R-Bedford) have passed the Indiana Senate this legislative session.

Senate Bill 303 clarifies that direct primary care agreements between doctors and patients are not considered insurance policies.

Direct primary care agreements are contracts between health providers and patients that provide medical services to the patient in exchange for a set price over a certain period of time.

The agreements allow patients to have alternative options for their primary healthcare needs, while decreasing the cost of insurance premiums.

"Every person is different when it comes to their healthcare needs," Koch said. "By bringing this regulatory clarity, more doctors may be inclined to offer these kind of agreements to their patients while decreasing costs. A one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare isn't always the best option for patients."

Senate Bill 396 would raise the cap in court ordered guardianship fees for someone who is in an institution from $35 per month to $175 per month.

"Raising the cap will give judges more discretion and will increase the number of people willing to do the difficult work involved in serving as a guardian of some of our state's most vulnerable citizens," Koch said.

These bills will now be considered by the House of Representatives. More information on these bills can be found at https://iga.in.gov/

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