Access to Preventative Healthcare: Morgan County Continues to Have Higher Poor Health Outcomes

Despite having hospital providers such as Franciscan Health and IU Health Morgan located in our communities, Morgan County continues to have higher poor health outcomes than the State of Indiana overall. While many residents continue to make unhealthy choices (smoking, not exercising), there are numerous others whose quality of life is impacted due to lack of money, education, transportation, and more.

“We have good, quality healthcare services, but the problem is can people use them when they need them? Do they have insurance, transportation, and are doctors available when someone needs them? Joe who works 8 to 4 and really needs the money, can’t afford to take time off during the day to see a doctor,” said Katharine Hill-Johnson, Administrative Director of Community Health Improvement for Franciscan Health. “Not having the right kind of insurance is a big problem. Now that we’ve moved to a system of catastrophe only plans, people are not getting the preventative care because it doesn’t cover the basic day-to-day care, but rather, they’re stuck waiting for an emergency to happen before their insurance kicks in. The same is true for high-deductible insurance plans. Think about how many things people won’t do to take care of themselves because it now costs them $200 out of pocket upfront.”

CRISIS FACTS:

• Cancer (Lung, colon, breast, prostate) Incidence – Morgan County reported 528.8 per 100,00 versus 455 (IN).
• Stroke (Hospitalization) – 25.3 per 100,00 for Morgan County compared to 9 for Indiana.
• Heart Disease (Mortality) – Morgan County reported 190.4 per 100,00 versus 180.6 (IN).
• County’s food insecurity rate was 12.1% overall and 18.1% for children (18 years and under). Fifty-one percent of our children are eligible for free and reduced lunches compared to 41.3% (IN).

Increasingly high poor health outcomes are a real problem in our communities. The Community Foundation of Morgan County (CFMC) has identified real solutions such as funding programs focused on rural outreach and access to preventative healthcare. Partnering with our community through private and corporate philanthropy makes these real solutions possible. Click here to give today and help change lives tomorrow.