The States Are Not United When It Comes To Healthcare For Seniors

On a flag getty, there’s a stethoscope.
In case you hadn’t noticed, the governing entities we name states in the United States are quite diverse. Climate, population, topography, and size are all apparent examples of diversity. We also have a wide range of political ideologies and governance policies. As a result, it’s not unexpected that attitudes about older people differ across the United States. In fact, our states’ generosity in providing healthcare to their senior citizens varies greatly. Medicare is an important part of Americans’ healthcare no matter where they live in the country, but the nearly 62 million adults who will be enrolled in Medicare in 2020 will have quite diverse experiences depending on where they live. MedicareGuide, a network of Medicare experts whose mission is to help people understand their health insurance options so they can make informed decisions, recently conducted research into healthcare in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine which states provided the best (and worst) care for people over 65.
The survey ranked healthcare based on three primary factors: 1) cost, 2) quality, and 3) accessibility. 2) Quality; and 3) Access. The analysts did this by using particular, relevant measures for each variable, grading them on a 100-point scale, and calculating a weighted average across all relevant metrics for that scale. They then computed a total score for each element as well as an overall score for each state, which they used to rank the states. Their findings, which were released in June of this year, are astounding.
The following is a list of the winners and losers in each of the factors, as determined by the study’s metrics:
North Dakota has the best prescription drug prices per capita.
Tennessee is the worst.
Missouri has the highest average deductible for a Part D PDP plan.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOU
Illinois’ average Medicare Supplement Premium is the worst. New Mexico’s average Medicare Supplement Premium is the best.
Connecticut is the worst.
Per Capita Nursing Home / Assisted Living
Wisconsin is the best.
Worst: Vermont’s Average MedicareAdvantage Max-Out-of-Pocket Amount Best: California’s Average MedicareAdvantage Max-Out-of-Pocket Amount
Wyoming’s average Medicare Advantage premium is the worst. South Carolina’s average Medicare Advantage premium is the best.
Worst: Out-of-Pocket Medical Spending in North Carolina
Utah is the best.
Washington, D.C. has the highest average monthly insurance premium. Minnesota has the lowest average monthly insurance premium.
Wyoming’s average life expectancy at birth is the worst. Hawaii’s average life expectancy at birth is the best.
Mississippi is the worst.
Alabama has the highest number of deaths per 100,000 in the fall.
Wisconsin is the worst.
Colorado has the highest percentage of adults with type 2 diabetes.
Alabama is the worst.
Minnesota has the lowest heart disease mortality rate.
Oklahoma is the worst.
Utah has the best cancer mortality rate, while Mississippi has the worst.
New York has the highest rate of stroke mortality.
Mississippi is the worst.
New York is the best place to live if you have Alzheimer’s disease.
Mississippi is the worst.
California has the most PDP plans.
Alaska is the worst.
Hawaii has the most geriatricians per capita.
Idaho Physicians per Capita Worst: Mississippi Physicians per Capita Best: Washington, D.C. Worst: Mississippi
Connecticut has the most nurse practitioners per capita.
Hawaii is the worst.
New York has the most home health aides per capita.
Florida is the worst.
Vermont has the best skilled nursing facilities per capita, while New York has the worst.
Nebraska has the most Medicare rural health clinics per capita.
Maryland is the worst.
North Dakota has the highest percentage of doctors who refuse to participate in Medicare.
California’s Public Hospital System Quality is the worst. Hawaii’s Public Hospital System Quality is the best.
Louisana is the worst.
This chart, created by the MedicareGuide, displays the above information in graphic style if you like it:

Where do states stand in terms of the three pillars of healthcare?
MedicareGuide
This knowledge may provide further motivation for some people to move…or stay put. Regardless of which camp you belong to, the more information we have on the types of healthcare available and where it is provided, the better informed we will be./nRead More