Tuesday, October 13, 2009
One argument in favor of national health care reform is based on the fact that quality medical care is not equally available at the state level. To prove this point, The Commonwealth Fund has again published its State Scorecard on Health System Performance to demonstrate the wide disparity from one state to another in terms of access, affordability and care.
According to the 2009 rankings, the best states for good health care are Vermont, Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
The 10 worst states are Mississippi, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Nevada, Texas, Kentucky, Florida, New Mexico, and Illinois.
The study found much improved care for heart attacks, pneumonia and prevention of surgical complications, but found that the health care system in general is under stress as insurance premiums are rising at a faster rate than middle-class family incomes.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Aiming Higher: Results from a State Scorecard on Health System Performance, 2009 (Commonwealth Fund)
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