Trending
It's easy to make a cost/benefit analysis on some expenditures and make a decision about whether it is worth spending the money. But when it comes to our health, most of us do not have that luxury. While the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates the average American spends $13,500 per year on personal health care, research by the Kaiser Family Foundation suggests the U.S. is falling behind several other wealthy countries when it comes to the quality of that care.
And, as always, the conundrum is worse for those living in some states than in others. While many West Virginians may be satisfied with -- perhaps even proud of -- the quality of care available in their communities, a new WalletHub survey, Best and Worst States for Health Care, showed the Mountain State at 49th in the country.
West Virginia is 44th for cost, a commendable 17th for access and 48th for outcomes, according to numbers compiled by the Washington, D.C.-based personal financial website. The state ranks dead last with the highest average monthly health insurance premiums, perhaps partly because we are 48th for cancer rate and 51st for stroke and heart disease rate. It also is 50th for the percentage of adults with no dental visits in the past year.
On the other hand, West Virginia is fourth in the country for the number of hospital beds per capita and best in the country for the lowest percentage of adults with no routine doctor visits in the past two years.
Those numbers are a whole lot different from those recorded in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania ranks 13th overall, while Ohio is 26th. Pennsylvania is sixth in cost, 18th in access and 20th in outcomes. Ohio, meanwhile, is 12th in cost and 33rd in access and outcomes.
Overall, Minnesota comes in tops in the country with Mississippi ranked last.
So what is needed to improve those numbers across the Tri-State Area?
"Lowering medical expenses requires collaboration among all stakeholders, including consumers of medical services, insurers, regulators and policymakers," said Charles Yang, a professor at Florida Atlantic University.
"To reduce health care costs, consumers are encouraged to maintain good health, explore more affordable treatment options and avoid unnecessary medical services. The moral hazard in health insurance leads to increased use and provision of unnecessary medical services. In addition to consumers, insurers, regulators and policymakers must collaborate to enhance care management processes. Moreover, there is a need to establish a stricter and more comprehensive anti-fraud system to combat health care fraud, including instances of insurance exaggerations."
That's a lot to take in, but there is a lesson in it for ordinary residents of West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Each person is a stakeholder in this process. Some instances of cancer, heart attack, stroke and diabetes are preventable based on lifestyle choices, for example.
Requests that insurance companies, hospital systems, lawmakers and public health officials do better are important, but individuals must prove they are willing to work to improve themselves.
That's certainly a lot to take in. Fortunately, residents of our region are quite good at facing a challenge.