Best States for Health Insurance

Healthcare Run By Each State

Each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia are responsible for administering healthcare within their jurisdictions. Among the scope of their powers are such matters as:

• How healthcare is delivered
• Monitoring healthcare
• Deciding how much of the state's financial resources should be alloted toward health matters
• Licensing insurers who want to offer health insurance in their jurisdiction
• Dealing with complaints from consumers
• Choosing whether and under which circumstances to offer state-run health insurance

The Best States for Health Insurance

According to survey results released in 2007 by the Commonwealth Fund, the best states for health insurance are:

1. Hawaii
2. Iowa
3. New Hampshire
4. Vermont
5. Maine
6. Rhode Island
7. Connecticut
8. Massachusetts
9. Wisconsin
10. South Dakota

About the Survey

Commonwealth Fund is a group that conducts research into healthcare matters. Researchers employed by the non-partisan group gathered information on each state. Some of the information gathered included details about:

• Number of deaths from treatable cancers
• Infant mortality rates
• Percentage of the population which has some form of health insurance
• Number of adult members of the population who receive recommended levels of preventive care and routine screenings
• Gaps in equity of care (determined by income and insurance status)

When the survey was conducted, each state was given a score according to the following criteria:

• Access
• Quality
• Avoidable hospital costs
• Equity
• Healthy lives

Analyzing the Results

• Hawaii is #1 - One of the reasons why Hawaii got a #1 ranking on the survey is due to the fact that this state passed a law in 1974 making it mandatory for employers to provide health insurance coverage to all full-time workers.

• Care for adults over 50 - The number of adults over the age of 50 who get all the preventive health care recommended for their age group varies dramatically, depending on where they happen to call home. Half of the adults over 50 in Minnesota take care of their health by getting all the suggested tests. The lowest numbers for routine healthcare screening came from Idaho residents where only one-third of adults got all the screening they should have to protect their health.

• Care for diabetics - Diabetics need to take good care of their health, and they are at increased risk for a number of health conditions. Almost two-thirds of the Hawaiian population who live with diabetes were receiving the appropriate treatment, while in Mississippi this number dropped down to a dismal 29 percent.

• Gaps in coverage - Different states have attempted to keep rates down as a way to address the problems of gaps in health insurance; however, they are still facing challenges associated with the costs of providing these types of services. Quality of services available to United States residents varies depending on the state where they live.

• Costs of office and doctor visits - A considerable portion of the cost of providing healthcare services is the cost of visits to doctors and hospitals that could have been prevented. Some residents wait too long or avoid seeking medical attention in a timely manner due to their lack of insurance. Inadequate care can also be caused by an individual not receiving adequate care when they did seek medical treatment for an illness or an injury.

• Reducing the cost of Medicare - The survey concluded that if people on Medicare could reduce their levels of avoidable doctor visits and hospital stays, the hospitalization rates for people over 65 alone could be reduced by up to one-half. This could result in a national Medicare savings of between $2 and $5 billion annually.