The 10 Worst States for Health Insurance Coverage
While much talk about health care and health insurance is nationwide, health insurance in your own state directly affects how much you pay and the quality of coverage and eventual health care you will receive. Below you will find a list of the 10 worst states for health insurance coverage based upon 2010 statistics. It is a good idea to know if your state is on the list, as it may require you to look a little harder for quality health insurance.
Criteria Used to Measure Health Insurance CoverageThe figures used to rank each state where taken from the United Health Foundations' 2010 America's Health Rankings for each state. The criteria used to measure and construct this list are:
Each element was given equal weight and the rankings of each state in each measure was added together. For instance, the worst state in regards to public health funding would receive a 50 and the best a 1. The state with the highest number was the state to be ranked as the worst state in which to get health insurance coverage.
The List of Worst Health Insurance Coverage StatesHere is the list based upon 2010 figures from the United Health Foundation. Keep in mind, this list can change from year to year as changes in legislation and other economic factors impact each state.
The list is in order of the worst state to the 10th worst state, as Nevada scored the poorest of all states on the 4 criteria measured.
Breaking Down the List of Poor Health Insurance StatesThese states ranked poorly in virtually all categories used to measure the effectiveness in health insurance coverage, though some stood out in specific categories. Mississippi ranked last in overall health of the residents of the state. Nevada ranked last in terms of public health funding. Texas ranked last in lack of health insurance of residents. Even though it scored well in many other areas and was not on the list, Idaho ranked last in primary care physicians per 100,000 residents. Nevada's ranking as the worst state is a product of not being ranked higher than 46th in any of the 4 measures.
What This Tells You About Health Insurance Coverage in These StatesAffordability issues are one of the biggest issues facing those searching for health insurance and many have to rely on subsidies or special programs in order to pay for or qualify for health insurance coverage. Public health funding and the lack of health insurance for residents is a major issue. The overall health of the residents can be seen as a sign of poor health insurance coverage and lack of quality health care. The lack of physicians related to state population makes it more difficult to receive quality care, even if you do have health insurance. Of course, things are not so gloomy. There is a major push nationwide for reform that is trickling down to individual states.
Getting Health Insurance Quotes for Better CoverageWhile you are waiting for reform, you can take matters into your own hands. No matter what state you live in, you can benefit from getting medical insurance quotes to compare rates of specific health insurance plans. These quotes are free, take only a few minutes to get, and they can go a long way toward helping you find the quality health insurance you deserve at an affordable rate. |
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