Indiana falls behind other states in primary and preventative health care, according to a new report.
The report comes alongside increased worry that legislative changes made this year to Indiana’s Medicaid system could further worsen existing problems with health care access for Hoosiers.
The analysis from IU Indianapolis’s Center for Health Policy found that Indiana lags behind the nation in the number of primary care providers. The state has roughly 66 primary care physicians to every 100,000 people. The national average is 75 per 100,000.
Employer-sponsored health care spending on primary care is also significantly lower than the national average.
Aperna Soni is a lead author on the report. She said Indiana compares poorly across the board.
“If we compare ourselves to the nation and most comparator states, we really lag on primary care physician supply,” she said. “We lag on the percent of total health spending.”
The state scored comparatively low on both preventative screenings for cancer and wellness visits, and only 77% of Indiana’s children are receiving recommended check-ups. Vaccination rates also lag behind in the state.
Some Indiana health advocates worry that efforts to reduce health care spending through Medicaid cuts, will make it harder for people to access primary and preventative health care, increasing long-term costs.
Notably, the report found that Indiana performs comparatively well on access to primary care for Medicare beneficiaries - suggesting “targeted coverage and reimbursement structures can improve access.”
Soni said preventative care has significant, long-term benefits that lawmakers are not accounting for.
“There is so much evidence out there now that primary care reduces spending, it enhances value in the long run,” she said. “Sometimes it doesn’t provide those outcomes immediately.”
Contact Government Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org