Assessing Hospital Access Among the American Indian and Alaska Native Population
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While it is well documented that the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population faces significant barriers to healthcare— including high uninsured rates, systemic bias or racism, and lack of culturally appropriate care—Brian Hoyt and Peter Hess offer a novel, quantitative perspective on what “lack of access” actually looks like. Applying provider network adequacy standards used by state regulators, they find that more than 62 percent of the AI/AN population in states with Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals do not have sufficient access to IHS hospitals by this measure.
The authors translate regulatory frameworks into rigorous, data-driven models that reveal real-world gaps in care. Their work goes beyond identifying barriers—it measures them. By applying the same standards that health plans must meet, they provide a compelling and actionable view of healthcare access for the AI/AN population.
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