Georgia among the worst states in the country for health care
Health care is taking a beating in this country.
Last month, congress failed to pass a pared-down repeal of the Affordable Care Act . And personal health care costs are as high as $10,000 per year and rising, according to estimates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Residents in 60 percent of Georgia counties who have insurance on the ACA exchange have only once choice of insurer: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia. When insurers leave the exchange as many have, it results in monopolies, which means higher premiums and fewer people purchasing insurance.
In addition, Georgia did not expand Medicaid under the ACA, which left many poor Georgians without any health care at all.
These are just some of the factors that have earned Georgia a ranking as one of the worst states for health care. Among the 10 worst states for health care, the bulk are in the Southern region of the country (only Alaska and Nevada are not) according to a survey from Wallethub .
Georgia ranked 46 out of 51 (50 states and the District of Columbia) and is one of the five states with the lowest percentage of insured adults aged 18 - 64.
Georgia also has some of the highest infant mortality rates in the country, another factor which contributed to its low ranking compared to other states.
Analysts looked at the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 35 measures related to cost, accessibility and outcome.
Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana round out the states with the worst health care.
Hawaii ranked at number one.
About the Author
Nedra Rhone is a lifestyle columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution where she has been a reporter since 2006. A graduate of Columbia University School of Journalism, she enjoys writing about the people, places and events that define metro Atlanta.
