As an Indiana resident my entire life, I am familiar with the state's healthcare system. I have been a lifelong patient of the healthcare system, as I have had several health problems throughout my life. I spent a lot of time in hospitals and doctor's offices and took more medications than I can remember. From my experience and knowledge of the healthcare system, I would say the biggest healthcare challenge Indiana currently faces is poor access due to cost. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Barring access due to cost is not just an Indiana issue, it affects the entire nation. Even with insurance, out-of-pocket healthcare costs for even a single person can amount to tens of thousands of dollars. These costs prevent many from seeking care. Potential patients will avoid going to the doctor for checkups or to get something as simple as a flu shot, because it is known and accepted that healthcare is expensive. Because of this, the population does not seek preventative care and their health suffers until they reach the point where critical care is needed. The cost of preventative care has improved in recent years with the ACA and other health care laws passed, making preventative care relatively more accessible. More initiative could have been taken to make this fact more known and to provide easier access to those living in healthcare deserts. There are still many areas of Indianapolis that do not have easy access to an affordable neighborhood health clinic. The cost burden is most severe for people with chronic illnesses, illnesses that require regular scans, tests and medications to treat or monitor. A single scan can cost over $5,000. It is no longer necessarily financially viable to go to the nearest hospital or doctor's office when your doctor writes you an order to get an x-ray or MRI. When I'm sick and my doctor orders a CT scan or imaging test, I spend hours searching for the cheapest test provider in my area. Sometimes I drive twenty or more miles away just for a simple fifteen minute scan. Even for those taking prescription drugs, the costs are astronomical. This is certainly true not only in Indiana, but across the nation and the world. Drug manufacturers essentially have full control over the price of their product until a certain period of time has passed and that drug can be produced as a generic. For those who need medications to live or lead a fairly normal life, there is no choice, they have to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars a month for their medications. While pharmaceutical companies are a business and should be able to profit, there needs to be more balance between profit and affordability for the sake of better health outcomes for the population. There are many health challenges in Indiana, but the one that plays a role in influencing almost every other challenge in some way, large or small, is impeded access due to cost. Many find out about life-threatening illnesses like heart disease too late because they never see their primary care doctor for fear of paying the bill. If the fear of going into debt due to medical bills were no longer an issue, more people would feel free to access the healthcare available to them and would likely begin to take a more proactive role in promoting their personal health and well-being..