Americans are paying more than ever for healthcare, but how much depends on where they live.
Not all states have the same affordability when it comes to healthcare. Altarum’s Healthcare Value Hub recently released its 2021 Healthcare Affordability State Policy Scorecard, ranking 50 states and the District of Columbia on their adoption of evidence-based policy actions to improve healthcare affordability for residents.
The rankings analyzed both policies and related outcomes across four affordability-related areas. Healthcare prices are a major driver of healthcare affordability, but public policies have also played a major role in overall affordability.
“Healthcare affordability is a top concern—often the [No. 1] concern—of healthcare consumers nationwide,” Altarum Healthcare Value Hub Director Amanda Hunt said in a statement. “States have the power to address healthcare affordability problems and the scorecard provides custom recommendations for action based on states’ unique policy environments.”
However, even the most affordable states have room for improvement. For example, Massachusetts, which was the highest-ranked state, only achieved an affordability rating of 65.3 out of a possible 80 points. On a graded scale, that’s only a B-. Other recent data reveals more than 50% of Massachusetts adults experienced some form of healthcare affordability burden in the past year.
Here are the top 9 states with the most affordable healthcare:
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Oregon
- Colorado
- Maryland
- Washington
- Minnesota
- Maine
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."