Get the Facts: A State-by-State Analysis of Health, Insurance Needs, and Economic Status

Depending on your clients’ individual requirements, you will need to approach each preson in the health insurance market in a different way. But what if you’re meeting someone for the first time, and you’re unsure where to start? A good place to begin is by considering your state’s overall ranking and how its residents fare in terms of income, insurance coverage, and health status. To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of facts, with the help of the Kaiser Family Foundation, that will tell you which states rank at the very top – and the very bottom – of the spectrum.

Overall health

Infant mortality

o Highest number of deaths per 1,000 live births

? Washington, D.C. (12.2)

? Mississippi (10.7)

? Louisiana (9.8)

o Lowest number of deaths per 1,000 live births

? Minnesota (4.8)

? Massachusetts (4.9)

? Utah (4.9)

? Adult mortality

o Highest death rate per 100,000 population

? West Virginia (951.7)

? Mississippi (943.5)

? Alabama (930.3)

o Lowest death rate per 100,000 population

? Hawaii (607.7)

? Minnesota 662.2)

? North Dakota (681.0)

Participation in physical activity

o Highest percent participation in physical activity

? Alaska (60.8%)

? Montana (58.0%)

? Vermont (57.6%)

o Lowest percent participation in physical activity

? Louisiana (38.6%)

? Tennessee (38.8%)

? Mississippi (39.6%)

Health insurance

Individual health insurance

o Highest percentage of people covered by individual health insurance

? North Dakota (9.4%)

? South Dakota (7.5%)