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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, WalletHub's "Best and Worst States for Health Care (2024)" showed the Mountain State at 49th in the country.
West Virginia is 44th for cost, a commendable 17th for access, and 48th for outcomes.
Here we are 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. We are also 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.
So how do we get better?
"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 healthcare 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 healthcare fraud, including instances of insurance exaggerations."
That's a lot to take in, but there is a lesson in it for ordinary West Virginians. WE are stakeholders in this process. Some instances of cancer, heart attack, stroke and diabetes are preventable based on our own lifestyle choices, for example.
We can tell insurance companies, hospital systems, lawmakers and public health officials we want better. But we've also got to prove we're willing to do better for ourselves. That's certainly a challenge. Fortunately, Mountain State residents are quite good at facing a challenge.