Panel Urges More Public Health Funding
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When the Governor’s Public Health Commission presents its report to Governor Eric Holcomb this summer on how to improve the state’s anemic health ranking, it will recommend spending an additional $240 million on public health, according to our partners at WIBC. The panel says the funding boost is necessary to get Indiana’s per person spending up to the national average.
Indiana Department of Health chief of staff Shane Hatchett says that increase is just for foundational services like immunizations, not other big-ticket items under discussion such as hiring more school nurses or improving access to paramedics.
Public health funding in the Hoosier State is currently the 14th lowest in the country.
“As I think about the conversations we’ve had over the past nine months, it’s clear that the long-term success and economic stability of our state depend on a strong public health system. And that starts at the local level,” former state Sen. Luke Kenley, co-chair of the commission, said in a news release.
Commission members agree their final report will need to offer specifics on how increased spending can improve Hoosiers’ health, and a plan for measuring how well it’s working, according to WIBC.
The panel also hasn’t issued recommendations on where the money would come from, though Hatchett says one possibility is making greater use of Medicare and Medicaid money for which the state is eligible.
“This work requires us to bring folks together from different parts of communities, and how we move forward in funding public health will greatly influence our progress in addressing Indiana’s physical and financial health,” said Kenley.
Governor Holcomb established the 15-member commission in August. The panel plans to hold two more meetings, with final recommendations expected July 21.