STATEHOUSE — Gov. Mike Braun is clarifying his recent directive telling Medicaid providers to cease the purchase of advertising on radio and television.

Braun signed several executive orders on Wednesday, one of which was the Medicaid directive. The state is facing a shortfall of Medicaid funding by as much as $1 billion, and Braun said he and state lawmakers have to “get serious” about fixing.

The governor said his directive on Medicaid advertising is a starting point.

“We’re committed to working every day to making healthcare more affordable, more accessible, and more transparent for Hoosiers,” he said on Wednesday.

But, many have asked how exactly limiting and eliminating the advertising of Medicaid options for Hoosiers helps make the program more “transparant”, especially for people who have a hard time affording health insurance.

Braun said the problem with Indiana’s Medicaid program begins in Washington.

“(Medicaid) is a broken program in the sense that they don’t know what to do with it out in Congress when it comes to sustaining it long term,” Braun said. “If that program wants to stay in place for those who can’t afford healthcare we’re going to have to do a better job of running it, as opposed to inviting more people to come onto it.”

Braun’s office clarified that this does not describe a “reduction” in the number of people on Medicaid.

Many organizations such as the Indianapolis NAACP and the Indiana Broadcasters Association have spoken publicly against the order. The NAACP saying that “restricting information about Medicaid benefits undermines public health and equity.”