Local Providers Fortify Their Position:

Publication Date: January 1999

Publisher: Center for Studying Health System Change

Author(s): Jon B. Christianson; Terry West; Melanie L. E. Barraclough

Research Area: Health

Type: Report

Coverage: Indiana

Abstract:

In November 1998, a team of researchers visited Indianapolis, Ind., to study that community's health system, how it is changing and the impact of those changes on consumers. More than 40 leaders in the health care market were interviewed as part of the Community Tracking Study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) and The Lewin Group. Indianapolis is one of 12 communities tracked by HSC every two years through site visits and surveys. Individual community reports are published for each round of site visits. The first site visit to Indianapolis, in November 1996, provided baseline information against which changes are being tracked. The Indianapolis market encompasses a nine-county region.

In 1996, five hospital-based systems dominated the Indianapolis market. These systems, all not-for-profit, owned the market's most successful health plans. In addition, they owned or contracted with most of the area's primary care practices. Managed care enrollment was limited. Employers and state and local policy makers were not active in the health care arena. With the 1997 merger of two systems, providers in Indianapolis have solidified their position, and the health plans they own continue to be the most successful ones in the market.