There is a growing consensus that the US health care system is in crisis. The cost of health care continues to escalate; health care expenditures are consuming an ever increasing portion of the GDP and federal and state budgets; the number of people without health insurance and with inadequate coverage continues to grow; and, quality of medical care is uneven and medical errors are all too frequent. Indeed, accessing the best quality care remains a challenge for most Americans and is often dependent on one’s ability to pay, navigate the system, and advocate for his/her own care. Ironically, while the US health care system is envied around the world for its scientific contributions and clinical knowledge, it also is one of the most expensive systems in the world and lags behind on numerous health indicators.

Through the Consortium for Health Policy, Law, Bioethics, and the Life Sciences, the Center for Health Policy (CHP) within the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, the Hall Center for Law and Health (CLH) at the Indiana University School of Law Indianapolis, and the Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSOM) has established the Indiana University Workgroup on Health Care Reform (hereafter, the Workgroup) for the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA). Because of the expanding crisis and increased pressure on states to address the associated challenges, the FSSA has begun exploring options for expanding coverage for the uninsured, both to improve the health of Hoosiers and to reduce the economic burden on employers who provide employer-based health insurance coverage. Research suggests, however, that incremental reforms are unlikely to be effective because of systemic problems within the health care system. The primary objective of the Workgroup is to provide the Governor and FSSA Commission with an array of comprehensive, data-driven, evidence-based, policy recommendations regarding improving the structure of Indiana’s health care delivery system as well as expanding health insurance coverage for Hoosiers. Please visit the Health Care Reform Workgroup site at http://www.healthcarereform.iupui.edu/ for more details on the progress of this initiative.