The health care crisis in America is real and affects businesses both large and small. That's why there's an urgent need for outside assistance.

The statistics speak for themselves. According to Families USA, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for health care consumers, family premiums have increased 78.3 percent for employee-based health plans between 2000 and 2007. Because of this financial strain, more small-business owners are faced with thetough decision of whether to offer health insurance for their employees.

Contrary to the popular stigma, Indiana's uninsured are not lazy or jobless. In fact, Families USA also cites that more than three-quarters of uninsured Hoosiers (77.4 percent) were in working families, working full or part time. And more than half, or 50.1 percent, of those individuals and families in Indiana with incomes below twice the poverty line — $42,400 of annual income for a family of four in 2008 — went without health insurance at some point in 2007-2008.

And in Allen County alone, one in seven adults is without health insurance, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. One in 10 children in Indiana is without health insurance, according to Families USA.

The rising unemployment rate is not helping this mess. Indiana's Elkhart County has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country — a whopping 18 percent in February. Allen, Whitley, Noble, DeKalb and LaGrange counties all reported rates above 9 percent.

Common sense will tell you that more people losing their jobs usually equates to more parents and children uninsured.

What does all this mean to the average businessperson? The uninsured population adversely affects the work force, because this segment is likely not to have a regular family doctor, receive screenings or preventive care.

This creates a vicious downward spiral that costs tax-paying Americans billions of dollars a year. Because families do not receive regular care, they often will go without needed medical treatment. This lack of care often escalates into an exacerbated condition that requires an expensive emergency room visit.

On a day-to-day level, these people are more likely to miss work and be less productive if they are not healthy. The same applies for their children. If their children are sick and not able to go to school or day care, then employees will miss work to keep their kids at home.

Yet there is help for employers who are not able to offer health insurance for their employees. The state of Indiana offers two free or low-cost health plans for adults and children.

The Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) is intended for adults ages 19-64 who do not have access to health insurance. There are a few stipulations. An employee is not eligible for HIP if he or she is offered employer-sponsored health insurance but chooses not to take it because of the cost. Furthermore, a person must also go without health insurance for six months to be eligible for HIP.

The state has laid out specific income and financial guidelines. A family of four can't make more than $44,100 a year to be eligible. The participant might be required to pay a small monthly premium based on family size and income. HIP covers a wide range of medical services such as doctor visits, prescriptions, preventive care, diagnostic exams and much more.

For cases where an adult does not qualify for HIP because he or she elects not to enroll in an employer-sponsored health plan, the children may be eligible for Hoosier Healthwise. This is the free or low-cost state-sponsored health plan for low-income families, children up to age 19 and pregnant women. Adults do not have to be working or enrolled in HIP for their children to receive Hoosier Healthwise. The parents simply must meet income guidelines.

The program covers medical care like doctor visits, hospital care, checkups, prescription drugs, dental, vision and much more. Some families might have to pay a small monthly premium, from $22 to $70, based on income and family size.

For more information about the program or to enroll, contact

CANI's program coordinator, Paige Wilkins, at 423-3546 or 1-800-589-2264, Ext. 276.

Visit www.ckfindiana.org to view a list of enrollment sites.