Our Health Policy Matters

What do South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi have in common? They all find themselves among the worst states for your health.  And they all have governors who have already declared that they don’t want to expand Medicaid to uninsured adults in their states. South Carolina ranks 40 th , Texas is 41 st , Louisiana is 44 th , and Mississippi is 47 th in the 2012 Our Health Policy Matters rankings of the states. The worst state for your health this year is Oklahoma, which dropped from 47 th a year ago.  New Mexico came in just ahead of Oklahoma, and just below Nevada, Mississippi, and Arkansas.  Rounding out the bottom ten were Alabama, Louisiana, West Virginia, Texas, and Montana. Led by middle-of-the-pack Medicare and Medicaid community spending, West Virginia escaped the bottom of the rankings this year.  Its 43 rd place finish represents an improvement of seven places over last year’s worst-in-the-nation finish.  On th...

What do South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi have in common? They all find themselves among the worst states for your health.  And they all have governors who have already declared that they don’t want to expand Medicaid to uninsured adults in their states. South Carolina ranks 40 th , Texas is 41 st , Louisiana is 44 th , and Mississippi is 47 th in the 2012 Our Health Policy Matters rankings of the states. The worst state for your health this year is Oklahoma, which dropped from 47 th a year ago.  New Mexico came in just ahead of Oklahoma, and just below Nevada, Mississippi, and Arkansas.  Rounding out the bottom ten were Alabama, Louisiana, West Virginia, Texas, and Montana. Led by middle-of-the-pack Medicare and Medicaid community spending, West Virginia escaped the bottom of the rankings this year.  Its 43 rd place finish represents an improvement of seven places over last year’s worst-in-the-nation finish.  On th...

If you want to live in the state where Medicare pays the most per capita for home-based care for elders, then Florida is the place for you.  On the other hand, if you prefer the state which does the best job of protecting the health of its children, then head to Vermont. But if you want to live in the best state for your overall health, then Connecticut is where you want to be. Connecticut is the new number one in the 2012 Our Health Policy Matters Best States for Your Health Rankings .  Last year’s runner-up switched places with last year’s winner, Massachusetts, dropping its northern neighbor into second. The OHPM rankings are a compilation of seven independent rankings and ratings of states.  The sources from which the final OHPM rankings are drawn are described below.  Connecticut made the top by scoring well across the board, finishing second in Medicaid spending on community services, third in the Healthy State rankings and in the percentage...

If you want to live in the state where Medicare pays the most per capita for home-based care for elders, then Florida is the place for you.  On the other hand, if you prefer the state which does the best job of protecting the health of its children, then head to Vermont. But if you want to live in the best state for your overall health, then Connecticut is where you want to be. Connecticut is the new number one in the 2012 Our Health Policy Matters Best States for Your Health Rankings .  Last year’s runner-up switched places with last year’s winner, Massachusetts, dropping its northern neighbor into second. The OHPM rankings are a compilation of seven independent rankings and ratings of states.  The sources from which the final OHPM rankings are drawn are described below.  Connecticut made the top by scoring well across the board, finishing second in Medicaid spending on community services, third in the Healthy State rankings and in the percentage...

Some states do a much worse job than others of keeping their residents healthy and providing for high-quality, affordable health care when their residents need it.  People usually live shorter, less healthy lives in these states than they might if they lived elsewhere. In my last column, I described a new States for Your Health ranking, and examined the states that finished near the top. This week, I want to look first at why Florida, ranked first in one of the seven indicators – per capita Medicare spending on non-institution-based services – only finished 30 th overall. Florida’s doesn’t invest enough in public health and prevention.  It is 36 th among the states in the 2011 Kids Count rankings, and 37 th in the 2011 Healthy State rankings.  Children in poor environments for their health are more likely to develop both physical and mental illnesses as they age.  Obesity, cancers, heart diseases, and mental illnesses are all expensive, and can cu...

Some states do a much worse job than others of keeping their residents healthy and providing for high-quality, affordable health care when their residents need it.  People usually live shorter, less healthy lives in these states than they might if they lived elsewhere. In my last column, I described a new States for Your Health ranking, and examined the states that finished near the top. This week, I want to look first at why Florida, ranked first in one of the seven indicators – per capita Medicare spending on non-institution-based services – only finished 30 th overall. Florida’s doesn’t invest enough in public health and prevention.  It is 36 th among the states in the 2011 Kids Count rankings, and 37 th in the 2011 Healthy State rankings.  Children in poor environments for their health are more likely to develop both physical and mental illnesses as they age.  Obesity, cancers, heart diseases, and mental illnesses are all expensive, and can cu...

When the Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act next year, it will do so against the backdrop of both a national sentiment for government to do more in the area of health and significant inequalities in access to health and health care based solely on the states in which people live.   A new poll released last week by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health found that 52% of Americans want government to put more resources into health.   Only 41% gave high grades to our health care system, and only 33% gave our public health system high grades. We would all like a more effective health and health care system.  But a better national delivery system would make a much bigger difference in some states than in others. This week, Our Health Policy Matters unveils a new ranking of the states that reflects which states invest most effectively in our health and health care.  It was cr...

When the Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act next year, it will do so against the backdrop of both a national sentiment for government to do more in the area of health and significant inequalities in access to health and health care based solely on the states in which people live.   A new poll released last week by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health found that 52% of Americans want government to put more resources into health.   Only 41% gave high grades to our health care system, and only 33% gave our public health system high grades. We would all like a more effective health and health care system.  But a better national delivery system would make a much bigger difference in some states than in others. This week, Our Health Policy Matters unveils a new ranking of the states that reflects which states invest most effectively in our health and health care.  It was cr...