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Hoosiers want a health care system that works for everyone. But our current health care system which captures vast amounts of our state and nation’s resources, employs many of its talented citizens, and promises both to promote health and relieve the burdens of illness, is failing far too many.
Over the past year, the number of uninsured across the country has grown by more than one million, and tens of millions more are underinsured and at immediate risk of financial ruin if they are seriously ill or injured. Individuals, families, employers and every level of government are feeling the financial pressure caused by rising health care costs. More often than not, people do not receive the best care that science has to offer. Many are bewildered by the complexity of health care and insurance coverage.
Current limits in public programs and gaps in employer coverage leave nearly 800,000 Hoosiers uninsured, resulting in substantial barriers to obtaining timely and appropriate health care.
The Indiana Coalition for Human Services supports the following for the State of Indiana:
Monitor and enroll the maximum number of uninsured Hoosiers in the Healthy Indiana Plan.
Continued efforts should be made to assist the largest possible number of people, including the working poor, uninsured adults without dependent children and parents of children already enrolled in Medicaid.
Ensure that Indiana’s health care assistance programs are patient-centered, offering access to both primary and specialty care close to home.
Appropriate access to care is an essential element for both existing and new programs.
Increase resources for home and community-based services and supports.
With adequate and readily available funding, senior citizens and people with developmental disabilities can live safely in their homes and their community, avoiding unnecessary institutional care.
Expand Medicaid coverage to include individuals with incomes of up to 300 percent of poverty, and maximize the use of Medicaid for payment of health services.
Maximum use of available federal funds will enhance the use of state funds while providing quality care for the working poor, children, and uninsured adults.
Provide fair reimbursement for all health and behavioral care providers.
Without fair and adequate reimbursement for health and behavioral care providers, it will become increasingly difficult for low-income and uninsured Hoosiers to access necessary preventative and primary care health services because of decreasing numbers of providers and the increased financial burden placed on them for
caring for at-risk populations.
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