25 States With Worst Health Care Systems

The health care system in Wyoming ranks worse than half of all other states in the country. This is due in large part to the fact that 12.3% of residents are not insured — the sixth highest percentage among states and well above the national uninsured rate of 9.2%. Uninsured Americans tend to have worse health outcomes as they often skip needed medical care because the costs can be too high without coverage.

Wyoming residents may also struggle to receive needed medical care due to a lack of doctors. There are just 68.2 physicians in the state per 100,000 residents, well below the concentration nationwide of 75.8 doctors per 100,000 residents.

Though Delaware’s health care system ranks worse than that of 26 other states, it has several positive aspects as well. For example, a relatively low share of its population is uninsured, at 6.6%, and its residents are among the most likely to have received preventive medical care like flu shots and mammograms.

However, the state’s medical care infrastructure has some gaps. Hospital funding in Delaware is among the lowest in the nation, at just $82 per capita. This is less than a third of the average per capita hospital spending nationwide of $294. Delaware also has fewer hospital beds per capita than most other states, at 2.2 beds per 1,000 residents.

Though Montana’s uninsured rate is slightly lower than the national rate, and the ratio of certain health professionals relative to the population is slightly higher than the national figures, the state ranks among those with the worst health care system because of relatively low spending on hospitals and health care. The state spends $61 on hospitals per resident, which is a fraction of the U.S. average of $294 per person. Montana spends about $167 on health care per person, also less than the national average of $205 per person.

About 23.3% of adults in Montana report having unmet mental health needs, the 15th highest share in the country.

Missouri is on the list of states with the worst health care system in the U.S. for several reasons. One is the higher uninsured rate than the national average. An estimated 10.0% of adult residents don’t have health insurance, the 15th highest share in the country. Another reason is the relatively limited access to health professionals compared to most other states. There are 70.3 primary care doctors per 100,000 residents in the state, compared to 75.8 per 100,000 across the U.S. Missouri also has lower concentrations of dentists and mental health providers per 100,000 residents than most states.

Missouri has one of the highest rates of people reporting poor or fair health, at 19.5% compared to 16.5% in the U.S. as a whole. The state also has one of the highest premature mortality rates at 404 residents dying before the age of 75 per 100,000 people. The national premature mortality rate is below 340 per 100,000.

Though Nebraska’s uninsured rate is lower than the national rate and the concentrations of certain health professionals relative to the population is slightly higher than the national figures, the state ranks among those with the worst health care system because of relatively low spending on hospitals and health care. The state spends $102 on hospitals per resident, which is about half the U.S. average of $294 per person. Nebraska spends about $151 on health care per person, significantly less than the national rate of $205 per person.