Today, more than 75 percent of national health spending is attributed to chronic diseases that are largely preventable, yet less than three percent of national health spending is allocated to prevention. To add insult to injury, Indiana ranks 49 out of 50 states for per capita public health funding.
Two major contributors to Indiana’s public health crisis are tobacco use and opioid use disorder (prescription painkillers and heroin). Indiana’s smoking rate is 21%, placing us 39th in the nation, and tobacco costs Indiana $6 billion each year in health care costs and lost productivity. The state’s overdose death rate, which is driven by opioid use, is almost 18 per 100,000 people, ranking us 34th in the nation. Prescription opioid abuse costs the state an estimated $650 million annually, and 80% of Indiana employers report prescription drug misuse by employees.
In this session, we’ll learn what role employers can play in helping to prevent habits that contribute to chronic public health issues and increase healthcare costs for every Hoosier. Three speakers will engage the audience with a question and answer session following brief presentations:
- Claire Fiddian-Green, President and CEO, Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation
- Bryan Mills, President and CEO, Community Health Network
- Paul Halverson, Founding Dean, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI in Indianapolis
Parking is available in the Chase Tower garage off Pennsylvania Street or on the street level at parking meters.