INDIANAPOLIS (CN) — U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mehmet Oz — TV’s “Dr. Oz” — appeared along Indiana Governor Mike Braun on Tuesday to launch new state health initiative aimed at tackling obesity and cracking down on SNAP and Medicaid abuse.
Braun unveiled a slew of nine executive orders during the event he said are targeted at empowering and improving the health outcomes of Indiana residents as part of an initiative to “Make Indiana Healthy Again.”
“We’re taking on big issues like diet-related chronic illness, how often do you hear about it, and nothing happens,” Braun said. “Children’s fitness in our own schools and harmful additives in our food.”
The orders contain mandates to establish a fitness test for schools and an associated rewards program, new research into food access and diet-related chronic diseases and an outright ban on purchasing candy and soft drinks with benefits received under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as SNAP.
Additionally, Braun’s orders call for stricter enforcement of eligibility rules for SNAP and Medicaid participants, with an escalating set of penalties for hospitals that ends with a violating hospital being unable to make presumptive determinations on Medicaid eligibility.
“Our largest budget line item was improper spending, mostly due to eligibility errors,” Braun said. “Today we are taking action to make sure that everyone on Medicaid is eligible for it in the first place.”
Braun emphasized entrepreneurial and preventative fixes to Indiana’s health issues, and also lowering the obesity rate. According to the CDC, roughly 38% of Indiana residents are considered obese.
Kennedy applauded the planned fitness test for children and spoke about chronic illnesses in children.
“This whole generation of kids is damaged by chronic disease,” Kennedy said.
Since his nomination to run Health and Human Services, Kennedy has faced backlash for his vaccine skepticism and for being in favor of removing fluoride from drinking water.
Recently, Kennedy was accused by Samoa’s top health official of lying about measles deaths from a 2019 measles outbreak there, and was sued in a Massachusetts federal court this month over federal funding cuts to medical research.
Oz, who is most known for his popular television program, is serving as President’s Trumps administrator for Medicare and Medicaid. He cited growing Medicaid costs as a reason to worry.
“This is a commitment we have made to our most vulnerable, and if its doubling, as it has I’ve been told in the last four years then its not a sustainable program, its one that desperately needs to be saved and strengthened,” Oz said.
Oz went on to say that chronic illness was driving up health care costs and resulting in less favorable life expectancy results compared to countries in Europe.
Braun also ordered an assessment of research on artificial food dyes and additives and their potential health effects, culminating in a government report to assess potential bans on such ingredients.
Following the event, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita released a statement in support of the new initiative.
“Indiana is now going to lead in the movement to Make America Healthy Again! It was great to be at the landmark announcement today where the governor signed several executive orders aimed at improving the state’s health and well-being. These orders are the definition of Hoosier common sense,” Rokita said.