Healthcare should be fair — but right now, it isn’t.

Large hospital systems and insurance companies have the power to negotiate their terms. Small, independent medical practices do not. They are forced to accept contracts they can’t negotiate, including rules that allow insurance companies to take back payments months or even years after care is provided.

This creates instability for the providers our communities rely on — and when small practices close, patients lose access to care.

Indiana has a chance to fix this.

House Bill 1271 was introduced to create basic, common-sense protections, including:

• Limiting how long insurers can take back payments
• Requiring fair and transparent billing practices
• Ensuring patients are informed of financial assistance

These protections would help keep local clinics open and improve access to care across the state.

But recent changes to the bill weaken these protections. The amendments:

• Extend how long insurers can take back payments
• Increase how long providers can be audited
• Allow insurers to write contracts that bypass the law

This undermines the purpose of the bill and leaves small providers vulnerable.

Indiana is already facing a shortage of healthcare providers, especially in mental health. We cannot afford policies that make it harder for providers to stay open.

We are asking lawmakers to restore fairness by:

• Setting a clear 6-month limit on both recoupments and audits
• Prohibiting insurers from contracting around state protections

These are simple, fair safeguards that will help protect providers — and preserve access to care for patients.

Please sign this petition and stand up for fair healthcare in Indiana.