Health care in America is a hot topic no matter where you live, but a study by MoneyRates.com found there are sharp divisions from state to state.
In its second-annual health care study, MoneyRates.com analyzed eight factors based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Kaiser Family Foundation. Those factors are: health insurance coverage, self-reported health status, child immunization coverage, infant mortality rates, adequacy of nursing home staffing, adequacy of medical office staffing, hospital affordability and health insurance affordability.
Based on an average ranking of the criteria, here are the top 10 best states for health care:
9. Tennessee (tie)
Though tied with South Dakota for ninth, Tennessee's health-care characteristics are very different. It finished third in in-patient expenses and sixth in self-reported health status. It scored low for health insurance affordability, doctors' office staffing and annual health-care premium affordability.
9. South Dakota (tie)
In tying for ninth place, South Dakota scored second place for child immunization and second for doctors' office staffing. It scored low for health insurance affordability, infant survival and self-reported health status.
8. Minnesota
The state scored highly in three categories; it was second for reported health status, sixth for health insurance coverage and ninth for nursing-care staffing. It scored in low for child immunization.
7. Rhode Island
The state was in third place for nursing-care staffing and fourth for health insurance coverage. But it is one of the 10 most expensive states for health insurance premiums.
6. Nebraska
The state repeats its sixth-place overall finish; this year its strongest showings were fifth place for child immunization coverage, seventh for nursing-care staffing and 10th for self-reported health-care status. Its only weak point was a low rating for health insurance affordability.
5. Vermont
This state ranked first for infant survival, third for health insurance coverage and fifth for reported health status. It was rated near the bottom for medical office staffing and affordability of health insurance coverage.
4. Iowa
The state ranked fourth in nursing-care staffing, sixth in affordability of hospitalization and seventh for insurance coverage. Its below-average ratings were in doctors' office staffing and health insurance affordability.
3. North Dakota
The state ranked No. 1 in nursing-care staffing and fourth in child immunizations. The only category for which it received a rating of less than average was for infant survival, for which it was near the bottom.
2. Connecticut
Connecticut did well overall by finishing in the top 10 in six different categories. The state finished second for nursing-home staffing, third for medical office staffing, seventh for self-reported health status, eighth for health insurance coverage and 10th for both child immunization and infant survival. Its biggest weakness was being among the 10 most expensive states for health insurance.
1. Massachusetts
In the two years MoneyRates.com has been conducting this study, Massachusetts was found to be the best state for health care overall both times. The state has the highest population covered by health insurance coverage and child immunization. Massachusetts also ranked in three other categories in the top 10: third for infant survival, fifth for nursing-home staffing and sixth for medical office staffing.
On the other hand, Massachusetts is one of the 10 most expensive states for both hospital stays and health insurance premiums.
