Wide variation among states in access to care, coverage for poor

Sep 19 2013

There is wide variation in access to health care for the poor among the states, with the higher-performing states making it more likely that their poorer residents have health coverage and get preventive care, a new study finds.

Los Angeles Times: Access To Health Care For The Poor Varies Widely Among States
Access to affordable, quality health care for poor Americans varies dramatically among the states, according to a new study that found a wide disparity in measures of health between states with the best health care systems and those with the worst. In the highest-performing states, low-income, less educated residents are more likely to be covered by health insurance, to have a regular source of medical care and to get recommended preventive care, such as cancer screenings (Levey, 9/17).

USA Today: Study: State's Poor Health Care Affects All Income Levels
High-income people who live in states that generally do poorly in health care are worse off than low-income people in states with high health care scores, according to a Commonwealth Fund study released today (Kennedy, 9/18).

Dallas Morning News: Texans Lag In Health Care Access And Quality, Regardless Of Income, Study Finds
Whether they have a good income or a lower one, Texans lag behind much of the nation in access to and quality of health care. A study released Wednesday by a private foundation in New York found that Texans making more than $46,000 a year are about as likely to have a regular doctor as are residents of Vermont, Maine and Wisconsin who make less than $23,000. About 1 in 3 Texas Medicare patients is prescribed medications not recommended for the elderly because they can cause dizziness or falling, the report says. In Massachusetts, New York and Minnesota, it's more like 1 in 5 (Landers, 9/18).