If I ever write an editorial like this one, saying that a problem is so complex that we don't have a clue, but somebody should just do something, take me out and shoot me:
Something must be done to make health care accessible to more Hoosiers.
The above sentence is the only thing everyone can agree upon. How to make health care -- and health insurance -- accessible is a matter of debate, and one that should receive high priority when the General Assembly meets again.
We'll never find a solution if we keep misidentifying the problem. The problem is not a lack of health care, but a lack of health insurance. Even people without insurance can get health care, which leads to convolutions like this:
Nine hospitals serving needy Indiana residents will receive $217.6 million in accelerated government payments next month, providing critical help to Gary's financially troubled hospital and other institutions, the state announced Thursday.
Hospitals in Connersville, Crown Point, East Chicago, Hammond and Indianapolis also will receive the money for serving high percentages of low-income patients, the Family and Social Services Administration said.
The health care crisis was created by separating the care people get from the actual costs they have to pay, first by insurance, then by heavy government involvement. Increasing the separation with even more government involvement is adding to the problem, not creating a solution.
