IU looks for ways to make health care cheaper

With rising health care costs and a mission not to increase educational fees, IU President Michael McRobbie announced Wednesday he organized a committee to find methods of making employee health care more cost-effective.

“This is one of a number of actions he’s taking to cut administrative costs and expenses in ways that will not affect IU’s educational costs,” said IU Spokesman Larry MacIntyre.

Thomas Inui, the president and CEO of the Regenstrief Institute, Inc. and associate dean of health care research at the IU School of Medicine, will chair the committee, which includes a variety of faculty members and administrators from multiple IU campuses. 

“They were chosen for their expertise in various aspects in health care and delivery in health care excellence,” MacIntyre said.

McRobbie said health care costs have increased from 8 to 12 percent over the last few years, according to an IU press release. MacIntyre said the committee will have to find innovative ways to keep the quality of the current health care program despite cost cuts.

MacIntyre also said he does not know what ideas the committee will come up with, but McRobbie wants to have some answers in the next six months.

“That’s their challenge,” MacIntyre said. “President McRobbie does not want to cut services and quality of the program. He wants to find more efficient ways for these services.”