Indiana Residents Join in the Motorcade for Medicaid

Recently, members of our community along with fellow Hoosiers across the State of Indiana joined together in an event called “Motorcade for Medicaid”, with the hope of raising awareness of rural hospitals that are at risk of closing down citing various budget cuts from the state and federal government.

Indiana residents took to the streets and traveled along three different routes. The northwest region began their journey in Bloomington and Martinsville, the southwest region began in Boonville, and the northeast region started in Columbus. All three routes stopped at various rural hospitals throughout the southern portion of Indiana, and the routes all convened in the afternoon at 407 North Main Street in Salem where local residents were stationed with protest signs, and they later visited Ascension St. Vincent Hospital to take a group photo.

The Washington County Times sat down with Michelle Higgs, founder of the Indiana Rural Summit and House District 60 candidate for the upcoming election season. She was happy to explain more about the reason behind Motorcade for Medicaid and what it means to her and to those across the state.

“Tracy Hutching-Goetz, who is with a group called ‘Hoosier Action,’ called me and said they were planning on doing what she called a ‘family first day of action’ and asked if the Indiana Rural Summit would like to participate. I said, ‘oh heck yeah!’” said Michelle Higgs. “From there, we were just trying to think about what the best way to represent rural would be. Knowing that many of these hospitals are at risk [of being shut down], it just made the most sense to do a motorcade and try to touch as many of the hospitals as possible.

“We spoke to two hospital administrators, and they were unaware of a lot of the cuts,” Higgs continued. “One of the members we had today, who is with an organization called ‘Indivisible,’ told me that when she would speak with patients coming into the hospital, they had no clue that there was anything changing with Medicaid. And we already have people receiving letters saying that they are going to have to reapply. So, there is a huge disconnect between what people are hearing and understanding, and so we really need to get the message out as changes happen and how they are actually impacting people… We need to be prioritizing healthcare and not billionaire corporations and private equity.

“We have been on the road since 7:30 am this morning. It is tiring, but I’m feeling good!” she said. “Going around the final corner and honking while everybody was waving was just amazing. People were lining the street, and it felt like when you show up somewhere and everybody is excited to see you. But we’re at the beginning stages of trying to fight for these things. So, my hope is that next time we do a motorcade or something similar, people will be eager to be a part of it. And something you will see on our cars and even in some of our pictures is that we are part of this ‘Summer of Solidarity’ with Organizing Indiana, and that is really looking at reclaiming the flag and using the symbol of the sunflower, which is kind of a nod to Ukraine, but it is also very Indiana. Also, using joy as resistance. And so as sobering as Medicaid is and the reality of that, there is joy in coming together in community.

“We intentionally drove some very rural routes, so there were a lot of cornfields and not a whole lot of else, but what we wanted to experience was ‘if this hospital closes down, what is the drive like?’ Higgs added. “There was a moment where we got confused and missed a turn due to construction. But, it really brought home, if I am under stress racing to a hospital, which is now farther away, with my loved one in the car with me, all of those little things really add up. All of the sudden, you could make a wrong turn and end up without cell phone coverage like we did. You could be stuck in some of these areas.

“One thing I’ve learned over time is that you do not sacrifice the good for the perfect. We were able to land some of the things we did today really well, and of course there were other things that I would do differently if this were to happen again. What I want is people to have the willingness to show up and to not feel like they can’t because they don’t have all their ducks in a row… We had a small, but mighty, group willing to drive and do the thing, and the goal really was to have a group that goes to these different hospitals, takes a photo, and connects on social media to the bigger picture. I think we were all incredibly surprised at the number of people who just have no idea about anything that is happening with Medicaid… My overall hope is that we connect across counties and really get to know our neighbors to spread the word about what exactly is happening to healthcare,” concluded Higgs.

This journey through rural Indiana amounted to much more than a drive through the countryside. To those participating, it was a statement of awareness for those who might not know about the potential changes to Medicaid. As Michelle Higgs made clear, the issue of rural hospital closures is not just about policy; it’s about real people. Yet amid the sobering prospects and long drives, participants found hope in solidarity and joy in connecting with their neighbors both near and far. As efforts like this continue, so too does the growing momentum to protect healthcare for all Hoosiers.