NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: August 12, 2008
Media Contact: Jeff Harris or Jason Tomcsi, 317-635-5455
INDIANAPOLIS - Seeking a more practical way to address the rising costs of health care, today Jill Long Thompson and Dennie Oxley announced their plan to make health care more affordable and accessible for Indiana's families and businesses.
Their initiative works to reform the state's overall health care system, improve access to care and better control health care costs for both businesses and individuals. It is the Democratic candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor's second major policy proposal as a part of their "One Indiana Plan" to build an economy that works for all Hoosiers.
According to recent reports, employee-sponsored health insurance premiums in the U.S. are increasing at a rate four times as fast as the average worker's earnings. From 2000-2006, Indiana's health care premiums rose even faster - 7.6 times as fast as Hoosier working families' earnings.
"One of the largest impediments to job growth in Indiana is the cost of health care. All too often employers, both large and small, are being forced to choose between hiring more employees or staying open and keeping up with the rising cost of health insurance premiums," said Long Thompson. "This is a choice they should never have to make."
Of the 90,000 small businesses in Indiana, only 34 percent are able to offer their employees insurance.
"This is not only an issue of our citizen's health; it's become a significant economic issue as well. The cost of health care has clearly become a drag on our economy," added Oxley. "As more and more people find themselves uninsured, as we are seeing all across the state, costs continue go up and the problem gets worse."
During all or part of 2006-2007, 1.75 million Hoosiers under the age of 65 were without health insurance, or 31.7 percent of the population. Of that group, more than 60 percent were uninsured for six months or more during this period.
"We have a real opportunity to make some meaningful reforms that will not only provide more Hoosiers with health insurance, they will remove economic barriers and allow Indiana to stand out from the competition," added Long Thompson. "This approach is really a win-win for everyone concerned."
To encourage more Indiana businesses to offer insurance to their employees and lower health care costs for individuals, Long Thompson and Oxley are proposing to create a health insurance purchasing pool. Under their plan, a quasi-governmental authority will be created to develop and manage the pool. As part of the purchasing pool, financial incentives will be offered to small businesses that purchase health insurance through the pool.
Several other states including Arkansas, California, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin have group purchasing arrangements.
"Dennie and I are totally committed to turning this economy around, and addressing the health care crisis will be a major part of our efforts," said Long Thompson.
In addition to creating the pooling option, Long Thompson and Oxley will take several steps to better implement state programs and create new efficiencies in the health care industry to reduce costs and bureaucracy.
For Immediate Release: August 12, 2008
Media Contact: Jeff Harris or Jason Tomcsi, 317-635-5455
LONG THOMPSON, OXLEY ANNOUNCE
HEALTH CARE PROPOSAL
Democratic candidates continue to announce portions of their "One Indiana Plan"
HEALTH CARE PROPOSAL
Democratic candidates continue to announce portions of their "One Indiana Plan"
INDIANAPOLIS - Seeking a more practical way to address the rising costs of health care, today Jill Long Thompson and Dennie Oxley announced their plan to make health care more affordable and accessible for Indiana's families and businesses.
Their initiative works to reform the state's overall health care system, improve access to care and better control health care costs for both businesses and individuals. It is the Democratic candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor's second major policy proposal as a part of their "One Indiana Plan" to build an economy that works for all Hoosiers.
According to recent reports, employee-sponsored health insurance premiums in the U.S. are increasing at a rate four times as fast as the average worker's earnings. From 2000-2006, Indiana's health care premiums rose even faster - 7.6 times as fast as Hoosier working families' earnings.
"One of the largest impediments to job growth in Indiana is the cost of health care. All too often employers, both large and small, are being forced to choose between hiring more employees or staying open and keeping up with the rising cost of health insurance premiums," said Long Thompson. "This is a choice they should never have to make."
Of the 90,000 small businesses in Indiana, only 34 percent are able to offer their employees insurance.
"This is not only an issue of our citizen's health; it's become a significant economic issue as well. The cost of health care has clearly become a drag on our economy," added Oxley. "As more and more people find themselves uninsured, as we are seeing all across the state, costs continue go up and the problem gets worse."
During all or part of 2006-2007, 1.75 million Hoosiers under the age of 65 were without health insurance, or 31.7 percent of the population. Of that group, more than 60 percent were uninsured for six months or more during this period.
"We have a real opportunity to make some meaningful reforms that will not only provide more Hoosiers with health insurance, they will remove economic barriers and allow Indiana to stand out from the competition," added Long Thompson. "This approach is really a win-win for everyone concerned."
To encourage more Indiana businesses to offer insurance to their employees and lower health care costs for individuals, Long Thompson and Oxley are proposing to create a health insurance purchasing pool. Under their plan, a quasi-governmental authority will be created to develop and manage the pool. As part of the purchasing pool, financial incentives will be offered to small businesses that purchase health insurance through the pool.
Several other states including Arkansas, California, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin have group purchasing arrangements.
"Dennie and I are totally committed to turning this economy around, and addressing the health care crisis will be a major part of our efforts," said Long Thompson.
In addition to creating the pooling option, Long Thompson and Oxley will take several steps to better implement state programs and create new efficiencies in the health care industry to reduce costs and bureaucracy.
