Indiana health care plan is a good start
by Claude Watts | Sunday, January 27, 2008
On May 11, 2007, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels signed legislation changing health care policy in Indiana. The Healthy Indiana Plan creates a health insurance plan for uninsured low-income families and will be available in April. The plan will be managed through two insurance companies -- Anthem Insurance and MDWise Managed Care.
The Healthy Indiana Plan is not an entitlement program. It is not a free service by the state, but one requiring modest contributions from low income families. The plan will require each person to make a financial contribution.
People enrolled will be required to pay up to 5 percent of their income into the plan. The plan is based on a sliding scale starting at 2 percent for individuals making $10,200 or less and, for a family of four, $20,650. Families of modest means are already hard hit by rising gas prices, heating bills, food, providing shelter and clothing for their families. However, this plan is a good start in the attempt to provide access to those who are uninsured.
The plan provides benefits to the uninsured by expanding access to preventative health care through a physician's office, paying up to $50 a year to each person enrolled in the program. This benefit includes disease management services for diabetes, heart disease, asthma and other illnesses needing ongoing care, either in a physician's office or hospital. This benefit provides better opportunity to treat illness and avoid hospital care.
The program offers mental health services including substance abuse treatment for drugs and alcohol, hospital services, outpatient services, pharmacy.
The plan will benefit small business owners who cannot afford to provide health insurance. A healthier work force is a more productive work force and can only benefit our employers, our families and our communities.
Indiana has the third highest rate of cancer deaths, fifth highest rate of smoking, 10th highest rate of obesity, and 22 percent of our children do not receive recommended immunizations by age 2. The need for improved access to medical care is great, not only for the sake of our communities today, but for the betterment of our community's health status in future years.
Methodist Hospitals Inc., serving the greater Gary-Merrillville communities, supports this new, needed program for those people in the greatest need. We thank the governor, state Sen. Patricia Miller and Rep. Charlie Brown in getting this plan approved. Additionally, thanks to all the legislators who demonstrated their compassion in helping the uninsured. Since 1990, the uninsured in this state has risen by 30 percent. Today, an estimated 562,000 Hoosiers are believed to be eligible for subsidized coverage while the Plan has funding to cover about 130,000.
Visit http://www.HIP.IN.gov for more information and to enroll.
Claude Watts is president and CEO of The Methodist Hospitals. The opinion expressed in this column is the writer's and not necessarily that of The Times.
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