INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Governor Mike Braun today unveiled a sweeping new public health initiative alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. The campaign, titled Make Indiana Healthy Again, aims to address chronic health issues across the state through executive action and policy reform.
At a press briefing held at the State Capitol, Gov. Braun announced he had signed nine executive orders to jumpstart the effort, targeting everything from nutrition to preventative care access. The most immediate and potentially controversial measure is the removal of soda and candy from the state’s SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
“This is about taking bold steps to reverse long-term health trends,” Braun said. “We’re committed to making Indiana a leader in wellness, not just in treatment.”
RFK Jr. praised the initiative as a model for national reform. “We need more state leadership like this,” he said. “We can’t just manage disease; we have to prevent it.”
Dr. Oz, who will oversee implementation through CMS, emphasized the science behind the new policies. “We’re aligning incentives for healthier choices, and that starts with what ends up on the dinner table,” he said.
Additional executive orders are expected to include incentives for physical activity, expansion of community health clinics, and tighter regulations on food marketing to children.
The Make Indiana Healthy Again campaign is set to roll out statewide over the next 12 months, with pilot programs launching in schools and low-income communities as early as June.
