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Local health leaders urge commissioners to oppose state cuts to Health First Indiana and Medicaid
Summary
A representative of the Health Improvement Alliance of St. Joseph County urged the Board of Commissioners to express concern to state legislators about proposed reductions to public health funding and Medicaid benefits, citing local research the speaker said shows strong return on investment for the Health First Indiana program.
Cynthia Heckman Davis, M.D., of Walkerton, representing the executive leadership committee of the Health Improvement Alliance of St. Joseph County, read a letter at the March 25 meeting urging commissioners to oppose planned statewide cuts to public health funding and Medicaid services.
Davis said the IU Fairbanks School of Public Health conducted a survey of Health First Indiana and found positive effects in prenatal care, blood pressure screening and fall prevention services. She said the research teamestimated cost savings in those three services alone that equal the amount of state funding allocated, and she attributed a 14-to-1 return-on-investment figure to Dr. Lindsay Weaver, the state health commissioner. Those points were presented as the alliance's summary of the academic review and the state health commissioner's statement.
Davis said the alliance seeks continued funding for the statewide Health First Indiana program at the current level of $150,000,000 annually and asked the commissioners to join local agencies in expressing concern to state legislators. She also warned that proposed Medicaid cuts would reduce benefits and services for vulnerable Hoosiers, including mental health services and supports for children and the elderly.
The remarks were made during the public-comment portion of the meeting; no formal county action on the request was recorded.
