The U.S. lags behind other nations in several areas of health care, according to a study by Kaiser Family Foundation.
But the variance in health care quality also holds true when it comes to the nation's states.
WalletHub compared the 50 states and Washington, D.C., on health care cost, consumer access and patient outcomes and ranked them based on a 100-point scale.
In addition to identifying the states that offer the best overall health-care services, the ranking also inevitably identified states that were at the bottom of the list.
Health insurance, out-of-pocket expenses and typical doctor visit costs were measured to determine the cost category, while patient outcomes measured mortality rates and disease risks. The "access" category measured availability to health-care clinics, quality of hospitals and doctors per capita.
These are the worst states for health care, in descending order, according to WalletHub:
10. Florida
Florida had among the lowest percentage of adults and children who were insured, ranking 50th for adults aged 18 to 64 and 47th for children. Overall, the state scored a 47.04.
9. Georgia
The state was next to last on the list of all states and Washington, D.C., for health-care access, with one of the lowest percentages of 18- to 64-year-old with no health no insurance. Georgia ranked 30th for the cost of health care.
8. South Carolina
South Carolina scored a 46.14 and it ranked 49th for health-care costs.
7. Oklahoma
With an overall score of 45.59, the state ranked poorly in cost having some of the highest monthly insurance premiums. Oklahoma also ranked 49th in the percentage of 18- to 64-year-old residents who were insured.
6. Alabama
Alabama scored a 44 in all three categories. For health care access, the state was ranked 49th for dentists per capita. It also has one of the highest infant mortality rates and one of the highest rates of heart disease.
5. North Carolina
Residents can expect to pay high average monthly premium costs in North Carolina. With an overall score of 43.98, the state has among the highest out-of-pocket expenses for medical care.
4. Arkansas
Arkansas had an overall score of 43.22. The state has one of the highest infant mortality rates and the highest heart disease risk.
3. Alaska
The Last Frontier ranked last in health-care costs, which includes medical out-of-pocket expenses and average monthly health insurance premiums. Alaska had the lowest percentage of children under the age of 18 with medical insurance.
2. Mississippi
The Southern state was among those with the fewest physicians and dentists per capita. Mississippi was one of the states that had the lowest percentage of insured adults’ aged 18 to 64 and was ranked last in infant mortality rate.
1. Louisiana
Coming in last in the ranking, the state had an overall score of 41.14. Louisiana’s rank included having the fewest dentists per capita. It also ranked 48th in infant mortality rate,
The full report can be viewed here.
