IHA Launches “Access Denied” to Expose Abusive Insurer Practices

The Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) has launched a new effort to raise awareness about abusive insurer practices that leave Hoosiers without the ability to get medically necessary treatment. It’s called “Access Denied” and features a web portal that breaks down how insurance companies block care, shares stories from the media with examples of insurer-practice abuse, and includes a tool that allows people to submit their own stories.

"Across Indiana, large insurance companies create barriers that leave patients waiting, even while their conditions worsen,” said IHA President Scott B. Tittle. “These companies are also using their market power to undercut independent providers that are struggling to stay open — and leaving patients with fewer options for local care."

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According to IHA, recent polling shows 80% of Hoosiers say insurers are mainly focused on making money while 72% say insurers have raised health care costs over the last two years. The so-called "Big Two" — Elevance (Anthem) and UnitedHealthcare — control 86% of Indiana’s commercial market, giving them enormous power over who gets timely care and from which providers.

Meanwhile, a recent State-commissioned report by the Indiana Department of Insurance shows the largest Indiana hospital systems have made significant progress reducing commercial prices — by as much as 7 percentage points on average in 2024 compared to the year before. And several national rankings point to steady declines in health care costs and lower prices among all Indiana hospitals compared to other states.

“Our hospitals are doing their part to make health care more affordable,” Tittle said. “It’s time for insurers to do theirs and pass these savings on to patients. Yet while companies like Elevance are raking in billions in profit, they are restricting care, narrowing provider options, and driving up health care costs.”

One way to stop this from happening, according to Tittle, is through legislative action. Several pieces of legislation are making their way through the Indiana General Assembly that are intended to protect patients as well as independent physicians.

“We appreciate Senator Baldwin and Representative Barrett’s work on Senate Bill 189 to prevent insurers from engaging in unfair practices that disrupt care for Hoosier patients by imposing unfair penalties on hospitals and providers, as well as Representative McGuire and Senator Brown’s work on House Bill 1271 to rein in harmful downcoding and recoupment tactics,” shared Tittle.

To learn more, visit AccessDeniedIN.org where Hoosiers can also send an email to legislators asking for their support.

Tittle added, “The more Hoosiers who get involved advocating for their access to medically necessary care, the more policymakers will realize the time for action is not tomorrow — it’s now.”