First State-by-State Health System Scorecard to Focus on Children Finds Wide Differences in Health Care

States vary widely in the quality of health care children receive, as well as children's access to care, family insurance premiums, equity, and the potential to lead long healthy, productive lives, according to a new scorecard issued by The Commonwealth Fund. The scorecard is the first report to assess how the health system is performing for children across these five dimensions on a state-by-state basis.

The striking differences across states add up to real consequences for children and their families.

The report, U.S. Variations In Child Health System Performance: A State Scorecard, by Commonwealth Fund researchers Katherine Shea, M.P.H., Karen Davis, Ph.D., and Edward Schor, M.D., ranked states on 13 indicators for children grouped in categories that include access, quality, costs, equity, and healthy outcomes. While no single state performed at the top across all categories, some states far surpassed others. States in the Northeast and Upper Midwest often rank high in multiple areas. In contrast, states with the lowest rankings tend to be concentrated in the South and Southwest. However, there was room for improvement in even the highest ranked states, which fell short of established standards on some indicators.

To read the full report, visit The Commonwealth Fund Web site at www.commonwealthfund.org.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• health
• scorecard
• children
• policy
• state
• quality
• commonwealthfund.org
• healthcare