Dec. 1, 2025 (INDIANAPOLIS) — Indiana hospitals are making meaningful strides in reducing health care costs for Hoosiers, with national studies showing a clear downward trend in Indiana hospital prices.
Recent rankings from WalletHub show Indiana’s steady improvement in health care affordability. In 2025, the state ranked as the eighth best in the nation for health care costs—up from 15th best in 2021. This four-year improvement reflects the impact of hospital-led efforts to make care more cost-effective for Hoosiers.
A 2024 Forbes report also highlights Indiana’s progress, ranking the state 24th out of 50 in health care costs—an improvement of 13 spots from its 2023 position as the 11th highest. This shift underscores the broader impact of pricing reforms and cost containment strategies across Indiana’s hospitals.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), Indiana has consistently ranked at or below the national average in employer-based health insurance premiums since 2020. This stability suggests that reductions in hospital costs are helping to keep premiums in check for families and businesses.
Hospital pricing is showing a clear downward trend in the RAND Corporation’s studies as well. Indiana has moved from being the most expensive state in the RAND 2.0 report to ninth in RAND 5.1 – surpassing eight other states in health care affordability in just 5 years. While the Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) has raised concerns about RAND’s methodology, the consistent improvement across reports points to meaningful progress.
“Indiana hospitals are committed to making care more affordable without compromising quality,” said IHA President Scott B. Tittle. “These rankings reflect the hard work and collaboration happening across the state to lower costs and improve access for Hoosiers.”
Tittle emphasized Indiana’s progress compared to other states. “Indiana’s trajectory stands out nationally,” he said. “We’re controlling costs better than many states and making measurable improvements relative to the rest of the country.”
As health care costs remain a top priority at the state and national level, Indiana’s hospitals are demonstrating that consistent, long-term investment in affordability works – and can deliver real results for patients and communities.
Learn More: Fact Sheet: Health Care Affordability
