Having resided in Indiana my entire life, I am familiar with the state's healthcare system. I have always been a patient of the healthcare system, as I have had many health issues throughout my life. I spent a lot of time in hospitals and doctors' offices and took more medications than I can remember. Based on my experiences and knowledge of the healthcare system, I would say the biggest healthcare challenge Indiana currently faces is lack of access due to cost. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Prevented access due to cost is not a problem that only affects Indiana, it also affects the entire nation. Even with insurance, healthcare costs for even a single person can reach tens of thousands of dollars. These costs prevent many people from seeking care. Potential patients will avoid going to the doctor for check-ups or to get a flu shot as simply, because it is known and accepted that health care is expensive. For this reason, the population does not seek preventative care and their health suffers until it reaches a point where critical care is needed. The cost of preventive care has improved in recent years thanks to the ACA and other health laws that have been passed, making preventive care relatively more affordable. Greater initiatives could have been taken to publicize this fact and facilitate access to those living in health deserts. There are still many areas of Indianapolis that do not have easy access to an affordable neighborhood health clinic. The financial burden is greater for people with chronic illnesses, illnesses that require regular examinations, tests and medications for treatment or monitoring. A single scan can cost more than $5,000. It's no longer necessarily financially viable to go to the nearest hospital or doctor's office when your doctor orders 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 testing provider in my area. Sometimes I go twenty miles or more just for a simple fifteen minute scan. For those taking prescription medications, the costs are also astronomical. This is certainly true not only in Indiana, but across the country and the world. Drug manufacturers essentially have complete control over the price of their product until a certain amount of time has passed and that drug is allowed to be manufactured as a generic. For those who need medication to live or lead a relatively normal life, they have no choice: they must pay hundreds or thousands of dollars per month for their medication. Although pharmaceutical companies are a commercial business and should be allowed to make a profit, there needs to be a better balance between profit and affordability in the interest of better health outcomes for the population. There are many health care challenges in Indiana, but one that helps affect almost every other challenge in one way or another, big or small, is prevented access due to cost. Many discover the existence of life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease too late because they never see their GP for fear of the bill. If the fear of going into debt due to medical expenses was no longer a problem, more people would..