Hundreds of Thousands of Uninsured Hoosiers
For Hoosiers struggling to make ends meet, health insurance is often the last thing on their minds. They are worried about essentials - things like food and shelter. What they may not understand is that when health concerns arise, health insurance is just as necessary. Without it, treatable conditions spiral out of control, diseases go undetected, and deaths occur that could have been prevented. Just 39% of Americans say they have enough savings to cover a $1,000 emergency room visit or car repair, according to data released this spring by personal finance site, Bankrate. Previous studies support these findings. Additionally, some 44% of people said they could not cover an unexpected $400 emergency expense or would rely on borrowing or selling something to do so, according to the Federal Reserve.
While federally mandated, 12.8% of Hoosiers still don’t have adequate health insurance according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s approximately 850,000 people! Many of these people are simply overwhelmed with the health insurance process. They don’t know where to start or have the financial resources and so they are left with no coverage--hoping that they are able to avoid illness and injury.
The Future is Bright
As the largest social services organization in Northeast Indiana, Brightpoint is always looking for ways to improve the lives of the less fortunate in our community. Brightpoint’s many programs—like the Energy Assistance Program, Head Start, Jobs for America’s Graduates, and more—all function together to help families meet their needs while encouraging education and economic self-sufficiency.
One program in particular, Covering Kids and Families, helps around 5,000 children, adults, and pregnant women on a yearly basis find health insurance coverage available to them. By assisting with enrollment and educating people on the different types of health insurance plans, Brightpoint makes understanding health insurance a little easier for Indiana individuals and families and this program is one of their many success stories.
According to Pam Brookshire, VP of Community Services: “Life happens, and people suddenly find themselves in a situation they did not expect. This is where Brightpoint steps in—offering services to assist families through tough situations and keeping them from spiraling into poverty. Programs provide steps to secure family stability and family self-sufficiency.”
Steve Hoffman, President and CEO, has been with Brighpoint for nearly 20 years and recognizes one of Brightpoint’s greatest strengths is connecting people with the resources they need to help maintain their dignity and retain hope. Steve points out that Brightpoint has served our community for a long time and that they have developed multiple connections which helps the agency be nimble and responsive to requests. The organization is well-connected to community partners so they can call on other resources to stretch assistance dollars further.
He shares, “People are seeking many of the same services today that they were 25 years ago: Child care, transportation, insurance, and housing. Challenges and goals remain the same—people trying to do their best to maintain independence and self-sufficiency.”
Fulfilling the PHP Mission
The PHP Foundation supports Brightpoint’s efforts and their mission which parallels ours:
The PHP Foundation is dedicated to building healthier communities by addressing the health, education, and wellness needs of low-income high risk individuals in the neighborhoods that we serve.
PHP Foundation is pleased to name Brightpoint as one of our 2018 Foundation Grant Award winners. PHP wants health insurance to be as easy and painless as possible for all Hoosiers. Reaching the 12.8% of the Indiana population that is uninsured is something that we feel compelled to support as a health insurance organization.
We want good health and health insurance to be PHP Easy for all Hoosiers and that’s one reason we wholeheartedly support Brighpoint’s mission to make insurance and resources available to the communities we both serve.
About Brightpoint
Steve Hoffman, President/CEO
Pam Brookshire, VP of Community Service
Amanda Chappell, CKF (Covering Kids and Families) Program Manager
Brightpoint is a private, non-profit agency that promotes economic and community development by providing resources, helping people gain access to opportunities, and teaching them the skills they need to become self-sufficient.
Mission: Brightpoint helps communities, families, and individuals remove the causes and conditions of poverty
Vision: Brightpoint envisions a world without poverty in which all people have access to opportunities and are treated with dignity.
