South Bend Tribune
It may not have been the headline from one of Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s virtual news conferences last month, but it was something worth noting.
The question: “Does Indiana need to increase its public health funding?”
“The answer is yes,” Holcomb replied. “Clearly, the answer was yes before this …”
Obviously, the “this” the governor was referring to is the COVID-19 pandemic, which, as of earlier this week has claimed more than 1,400 Hoosier lives, with about 25,000 total cases.
And at that news conference last month, Holcomb acknowledged that the COVID-19 outbreak and the demands it has placed on health resources across the state highlight the need for more spending on public health.
People with underlying health issues are especially vulnerable to COVID-19. Those include respiratory ailments, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Indiana consistently ranks among the bottom 10 states in the annual United Health Foundation America’s Health Rankings. In last year’s study, Indiana is ranked 41st for the second year in a row, with some of its lowest rankings including obesity (39th place) and smoking (44th).
Another study, from the Trust for America’s Health, ranked Indiana next to last in spending on public health.
Dr. Kristina Box, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Health, agreed with Holcomb, saying she wishes Indiana could direct more dollars to public health and better support local health departments across the state.
For years, health advocates have been urging the state to invest more in public health initiatives. For example, Indiana could and should be spending more to change its status as a state with one of the highest smoking rates in the nation. While once a leader in tobacco prevention funding, Indiana has repeatedly slashed money specifically intended for such purposes. Today, the state spends around one-tenth of what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends.
In the midst of a public health crisis he called “the toughest thing that, dare I say, any of us in our lifetimes have dealt with or probably ever will again,” Holcomb has conceded that Indiana should be putting more resources toward Hoosier health and well-being. Lawmakers in the Republican-led legislature should follow suit — and together they should work to make those necessary and long-needed investments.
