With workers paying an average of over $6,100 per year toward employer-sponsored family coverage and Every Kid Healthy Week kicking off on April 24, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Best & Worst States for Children’s Health Care, as well as expert commentary.
In order to determine which states offer the most cost-effective and highest-quality health care for children, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 33 key metrics. The data set ranges from share of children aged 0 to 17 in excellent or very good health to pediatricians and family doctors per capita.
| Best States for Children’s Health Care | Worst States for Children’s Health Care |
| 1. Massachusetts | 42. New Mexico |
| 2. District of Columbia | 43. Arkansas |
| 3. Rhode Island | 44. Oklahoma |
| 4. Vermont | 45. Kentucky |
| 5. Hawaii | 46. West Virginia |
| 6. New York | 47. Indiana |
| 7. Maryland | 48. Wyoming |
| 8. New Jersey | 49. Louisiana |
| 9. Oregon | 50. Texas |
| 10. Minnesota | 51. Mississippi |
Best vs. Worst
- Massachusetts has the lowest share of uninsured children aged 0 to 18, 1.50 percent, which is 7.7 times lower than in Texas, the highest at 11.50 percent.
- The District of Columbia has the lowest share of children aged 0 to 17 with unaffordable medical bills, 3.00 percent, which is 4.9 times lower than in Wyoming, the highest at 14.60 percent.
- The District of Columbia has the most pediatricians per 100,000 residents, 44, which is 22 times more than in Mississippi, the fewest at 2.
- Montana has the lowest share of obese children aged 10 to 17, 10.20 percent, which is 2.5 times lower than in West Virginia, the highest at 26.00 percent.
