North Carolina On List Of States With Worst Health Care
Personally, I think health care in our country is a total ruckus! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve received amazing care over the last few years in regard to breast cancer and with my neck surgeries. However, the cost is insane! I pay close to $600 a month for health insurance just for me!! And I still have crazy bills. Recently I had carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand and had to pay over $2100 out of pocket. My doctor rocks but the costs are ridiculous. WalletHub’s annual list of the ‘Best and Worst States for Healthcare’ is out, and North Carolina isn’t looking good.
WalletHub compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C. on 44 factors related to health care cost, accessibility, and outcome. Now, going through all 44 factors is way too much to deal with but after all of the comparisons, Minnesota tops the list for the best health care. West Virginia is the state with the worst health care. The study looked at everything from average monthly insurance premiums to the cost of a dental visit to the quality of the public hospital system.
North Carolina came in at #10 on the ‘Worst States’ list. Sadly, most of the states on that list are here in the South. Florida, Georgia, and Alabama also made the ‘worst’ list. Outside of Minnesota, Iowa, Rhode Island, and North Dakota made the ‘best’ list.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the average American spends $12,914 a year on personal health care. That’s insane! Most Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, me included, so that cost truly hurts most families. If you have medical issues, like I do, that cost is higher than $12,914 a year. Can you imagine all the things you could do if that cost was just cut in half?!
Even with health insurance, most of us have to pay co-pays when visiting a doctor. And if you see a specialist, that cost is higher. I pay $60 per visit to a specialist, and I have to see more than one a few times a year. Adding up the cost would make me cry, as I could take a kick-ass vacation with all that money. It’s just nuts! Our open enrollment for the upcoming year starts tomorrow, and I know looking through all the plans and out of pocket costs is going to stress me out. Ugh! Nurses and doctors work tirelessly, and I have tremendous respect for them. That said, costs in our country are out of control!
If I didn’t love my job so much, I’d think of moving to one of the states with the best health care. LOL! Although if summer temps continue to rise year after year, I may need to pack and hit one of the colder states. You can see the entire study here.
List: Top North Carolina Hospitals According To US News
