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Kron: Indiana Farm Bureau members help move health care bill forward

Indiana Farm Bureau’s bill that would allow the organization to offer health benefits to sole proprietors has passed the Senate. The bill passed the Senate Committee on Insurances and Financial Institutions and then passed the full Senate with a 49-0 vote.

INFB President Randy Kron says he’s hopeful the momenutm will remain as the bill moves to the Indiana House.

“It puts a little wind in our sails and now I’d say we’re at the halfway mark or halftime,” he says. “The bill switches over to the house and so basically we start over again talking to representatives and trying to make sure they understand the need for it.”

He says Indiana Farm Bureau members, the grassroots of the organization, have made the progress possible.

“The chairman of the insurance committee even acknowledged the amount of people there- he asked how many farm bureau people were here to support the bill and when hands around the room go up it’s pretty impressive,” he says. “There were a couple of votes that were borderline which way they were going to go, and I think things like that helped push them over the edge.”

Kron says members must continue to talk to legislators and tell them how important health care is to Hoosier farmers.

“I can’t stress enough these next few weeks that they need to go to the cracker barrel third house sessions and coming to the statehouse because showing up, talking to your legislators, and letting them know how important this is and how it’s impacting your farm will make a difference,” he says.

Brownfield interviewed Kron during the Indiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ag Professionals conference on Saturday.

Audio: Randy Kron, Indiana Farm Bureau