Georgia health care is the worst in the US, study says. Here’s why

Georgia is the worst state in the country for health care, according to a recent Harris Poll Survey shared by Forbes Advisor.

Six of the 10 worst states for health care were in the South. The Peach state ranked ahead of the rest of the country. and Alabama was a close second. None of the southern states ranked in the 10 best states.

Researchers broke down four categories into 24 metrics and weighed each metric for a total possible score of 100 for the state with the worst performance in each category.

Georgia was the only state to score 100 out of 100. A lot of the score was the result of the high costs of health care. The state had the second highest population (15.5% of the total population) who did not see a doctor in the past 12 months due to the cost.

Georgia had the third highest percentage of residents with no health coverage (12.63%). For those with single policies through employers, the average annual deductible was $2,269, the eighth highest average in the country.

Georgia’s health outcomes took a hit from high mortality rates for residents with kidney disease (18.87 deaths per 100,000 residents) and strokes (44.27 deaths per 100,000).

Georgia’s access to primary care physicians was also relatively low at 12.33 physicians per 10,000 residents.

In addition to outcomes and access, the states were ranked under the categories of quality of hospital care and cost. Data for the quality of hospital care came from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The 10 worst states for health care

1. Georgia with an overall score of 100 out of 100
2. Alabama, 87.03
3. North Carolina, 85.95
4. Mississippi, 84.7
5. South Carolina, 83.5
6. Arkansas, 82.39
7. New Mexico, 82.17
8. Texas, 81.6
9. Nevada, 79.08
10. Indiana, 79.01

The 10 best states for health care

1. Minnesota, 0 out of 100 points
2. Massachusetts, 2.26
3. Rhode Island, 4.45
4. Connecticut, 5.09
5. Vermont, 10.72
6. New Hampshire, 20.4
7. Michigan, 22.94
8. Oregon, 23.05
9. Maine, 25.23
10. Pennsylvania, 26.81

This story was originally published October 23, 2023 at 8:00 AM.

Mona Moore

Sun Herald

Mona Moore was a Service Journalism Desk Editor for the Sun Herald in Mississippi; Mahoning Matters in Ohio; and the Ledger-Enquirer and Telegraph in Georgia. Originally from West Covina, California, she holds a bachelor’s and master’s in corporate and public communication from the University of South Alabama. Mona’s writing and photography have been recognized by press associations in Mississippi, North Carolina and Florida.