SALT LAKE CITY – For anyone in need of healthcare, this is definitely the place.
That’s the conclusion of a new analysis by America First Healthcare that ranks Utah as the most affordable state in the nation in which to seek medical attention.
The study was built on comparisons across eight healthcare costs and access factors, according to Trang Pham, an AFH spokesperson.
Those factors included healthcare expenditures per capita, income, insurance coverage, prescription drug costs, doctor visit costs, dental costs, physician availability and eye care costs, she added.
“Utah holds the ranking for the lowest healthcare spending in the nation and its position at the top of the affordability list is no coincidence,” Pham explained. “Drug price affordability is the second-highest nationally, with an average prescription cost of just $19.50, which is among the lowest in America.”
That gives Utah a near-perfect drug pricing score, anchoring a cost structure that gives residents real room to manage healthcare expenses, AFH analysts emphasize.
“Health care expenditures per capita are $7,522,” Pham says. “Health insurance covers is a solid 91.7 percent of the state’ population.”
Other moderate health care expenses in the Beehive State include $136 for the average eye treatment visit, $203 for dental care and $118 for a doctor’s appointment.
With more than 8,600 doctors statewide, Utah also ranks high in terms of availability of physicians.
“The state’s affordability edge doesn’t come from earning more,” Pham argues. With its per capita income at $69,991, Utah is solidly mid-tier within the 50 states.
“Instead, Utah’s ranking comes from healthcare simply costing less across nearly every category measured.”
That the other end of the national spectrum is New York, with the highest healthcare cost burden and the lowest affordability ranking in the nation.
The Empire State’s insurance coverage is nearly universal and the availability of physicians is equally good, but AFH analysts say the state’s problem isn’t access, it’s price.
Drug price affordability in New York ranks as one of the worst in the country and per-capita healthcare spending of $14,007 erodes the state’s income advantage even with $88,847 in income per capita.
Additional information about the AFH study can be found at https://americafirsthealthcare.com/blog/healthcare-affordability-by-state-where-costs-hit-hardest
Based in Florida, America First Healthcare is a private insurance agency that helps customers protect their dreams by providing shared values, better coverage and better rates.