The States With The Most (And Least) Residents With Health Insurance

Yet again, Massachusetts has the most residents who have health insurance, and yet again, Texas has the most uninsured residents, according to a new Gallup report.

Massachusetts and Texas have taken the top and bottom spots, respectively, since Gallup and Healthways started conducting the health-care coverage surveys in 2008.

And like the results from past years, more people in the northeast states have health insurance than people in the southern states, according to Gallup.

The results of the poll are based on 177,237 interviews done between January and June 2011, as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. The interviews revealed that 16.8 percent of Americans didn't have health insurance during the first half of 2011, slightly up from 16.4 percent in 2010. In 2008, 14.8 percent of American adults didn't have health insurance, according to Gallup.

Check out the rankings for the most-insured and least-insured states -- and find the complete rankings of all 50 states here.

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Comments

[Kenz300]

03:06 PM on 09/10/2011

Go Figure ..... Republican President candidate Rick Perry's state of Texas has the worst record.

Almost 25% of the residents without health insurance. He is sure pushing the Republican philosophy that everyone is on their own. Do not expect help from anyone.

This is the same guy that says Social Security is a ponzi scheme and needs to be ended.

Republicans are too extreme.

[Picadial]

01:09 PM on 09/09/2011

We need to have a major shift in thinking in the United States. Health insurance never healed anyone. Proper care can.
Health insurers want to keep as much money as possible. They are built to deny care by denying coverage. In many instances a health insurer is required to turn a profit because they are a publicly held corporation. If they do not turn a profit, the stockholders are upset. The balance of power in these competing interests usually goes to the stockholders. The trend is to deny coverage for treatment sought, and earn more profit.
We need to shift from thinking we need health insurance to getting the health care we are paying for. The money needs to be shifted from health premiums to paying health care providers - doctors and other health car professionals. There is enough money spent on health insurance premiums to take care of the health care needs of America.
One solution to this problem is for large corporations, state agencies, school districts and small businesses and individuals to take the money they are paying into premiums, organize local health care cooperatives, and then buy hospitals and clinics; hire doctors, nurses and other health care professionals directly. These cooperatives would save doctors from having to run their office as a business - a practice that many doctors detest. They could practice medicine. They would be accountable to the people who pay them - not the insurance companies.

[Oceras]

11:52 AM on 09/18/2011

An even simpler, cheaper fix: single payer health care.

[fitniac]

06:17 PM on 09/08/2011

The 10 states with the best coverage all voted democratic in the last presidential election (2008). Seven of the 10 states with the worst coverage voted republican in that same election.

[ThatsTheTheWayItIs]

10:41 AM on 09/07/2011

As uninsured MA resident, must note that MA insurance was about as high before Romney Care. That's the only reason it could pass, it didn't affect 93% of voters. None of my friends or family know anything about the bill. I didn't until after I retired and it affected me.

A mandate was easy in MA, affected 5% of population, and most of them got help from Medicaid funds to buy insurance. MA is rich state (2nd only to CT), fewer poor to fund. I'm not poor enough to get any help.

Romney Care works in MA because few were forced to buy insurance. It won't work nationally where the uninsured rate is much higher. Taxpayers won't pay for the 40% uninsured in Texas to buy insurance, and they won't like being forced to pay for something they don't want.

Dems should give up on a medical industry subsidy mandate*. It is a losing cause, a sure way to turn country over to Republicans in 2012. Forcing people to give corporations profit - that's a Republican idea, came from one. Why Dems bought the idea, and insist it's the Progressive thing to do, its beyond me.

*it's not insurance, doesn't just require that you or insurer pay for own care. It's a collective, everyone pays into pot so drugs and treatments are nearly-free to all. Both MA and Fed require such as minimum plan, "catastrophic coverage" insurance doesn't satisfy mandate. Even if you don't take drugs, know the facts on their efficacy, know they don't work - you still are forced to buy them for those who do. Optional drugs, Viagra even, not drugs that cure anyone.

[jtabs]

10:20 AM on 09/07/2011

Another reason to vote for Perry.

[onionboy]

05:25 PM on 09/09/2011

I know. HOW many categories is Texas last (or within 3 or 4 states from last) now?

[Oceras]

11:56 AM on 09/18/2011

I hope this is sarcasm. If it's not: how is Texas being last in health insurance coverage a reason to vote for its governor?

[jtabs]

09:20 AM on 09/19/2011

Of course it's sarcasm.

[Bob McEntyre]

10:06 AM on 09/07/2011

Seven of the bottom 10 are from the South,Go figure.All are heavy republican red state,any question about thier commitment to the voters in those state.Texas being last does'nt surprize me and Rick Perry wants your vote,so we can all die a early death because Phony Perry wants to protect his Healthcare Insurence CEOs and thier profits.

[Genep34]

10:01 AM on 09/07/2011

and these red states want health care reform to be repealed - such intellect

[Chris Carpenter]

09:41 AM on 09/07/2011

Shocker!! I wonder how many Red state residents rely on "God" to heal them?

[Genep34]

10:00 AM on 09/07/2011

indeed

[Mlambogl]

10:17 AM on 09/07/2011

Or the corporations paying them 7.25 an hour. Even if they did offer health care the employee could not afford it.

[Dr Marcus]

09:36 AM on 09/07/2011

NJ is near the top but as soon Chris Christie gets done we'll be right there with Texas

[VashS5]

09:35 AM on 09/07/2011

How did I know it was going to be Texas as the "worst".

[Dr Marcus]

09:33 AM on 09/07/2011

Not very smart for any individual of any age not to have health insurance.The main reason right now is that we have too many overweight people,young and old and all studies confirm that there is a correlation between weight and health.A relationship with a good doctor can steer the person in the right directions in all matters of health,including mental health.I would not be surprised that nations that provide good health care for it's citizens also have less crime and they live longer and happier lives.Unfortunately our country is going in the opposite direction to the detriment of all of us as nation. Could some of the fatal shootings going on have been avoided by providing good health care to those individuals?

[tinri]

09:45 AM on 09/07/2011

And not so coincidental that the states with the most overweight people are the same states with the lowest rate of health insurance. They might as well just stick a deep fried pork chop right into their aorta and be done with it.

[Preemptive Placebo]

07:49 PM on 09/08/2011

I agree that there are those who lack self control who would benefit from a good relationship with a doctor to - as you say - steer them in the right direction. But that ignores the fact that there are many of us who are perfectly able to steer ourselves in the right direction.

Today most of the world's population remains "uninsured". Take a look at those people in Asia, Africa and Latin America who are uninsured. They have a deeply engrained belief that they MUST stay healthy. They are far healthier than we first-worlders. Why? Because they avoid self-destructive behaviors while we in the west overindulge. Why do we feel we can overindulge? Because we have you to fix us and the insurance to pay for it.

Third-worlders know there is no insurance to pay the doctors and know that they are responsible for themselves. We in the west count on the insurance and hand over control of our health to MDs like you. No matter how well intentioned you are, you can never make us healthy if we believe it is your job - not our - to do it.

The vast majority of the problems that primary care physicians deal with on a day-to-day basis are self-inflicted by the patient.

By forcing those of us who take responsibility for our health to buy something we don't want and don't need, you are ENABLING that self-destructive behavior in those who cannot exercise self-control.

[Oceras]

12:14 PM on 09/18/2011

You've at least implied that you believe that most patients do not have a working relationship with their physicians in which they, the patients, play a positive role. I'd like to see your data for this. I know that my GP and I work jointly to solve my medical problems. The mere fact of making an appointment and going to one's doctor is an aspect of the patient playing a positive role in the relationship.

I believe that a low percentage of people go to the doctor with the expectation that they merely enunciate their symptoms and expect the doctor to take over.sa

Your expectation that simply because you (and others) say so people will automatically make healthier living choices. There are so many other sociological, socioeconomic, and genetic reasons why people don't follow your prescription that you do not account for. For example, many poor people live in communities and neighborhoods without exercise resources, such as parks, trails, gymnasiums that a poor person can afford. Even if they can afford to visit a doctor, they might not be able to afford the prescribed physical therapist. This is not just true of poor communities. This is by no means an exhaustive accounting of the reasons why people don't exercise as they should.

Conservatives often have the attitude that people should use their will power to become fit, yet I've seen plenty of out of shape conservatives. Find those people and ask them why they don't become fit.

[BETGR627]

09:30 AM on 09/07/2011

Massachusetts has the best rate of insured in the country and let there be no mistake about why. It is because when Romney was governor he thought it was a great idea. It was.

So why is Romney trying to distance himself from this achievement rather being proud of it. Could it be because the TParty doesn't approve and that Romney is trying to be all things to all people - which never works.

Could it be because Pres. Obama wants the same system that does work in MA to work for the rest of the country but because the GNOP wants to hurt Obama that they are distancing themselves from something that actually works? Why? Because they hate Obama so much that they would rather point fingers at him rather than do what is really best for the country?

Think about it - why is Romney distancing himself from his one crowning achievement as governor of Mass? Why is he ashamed of the very program that Obama wants to duplicate?

[Oceras]

12:20 PM on 09/18/2011

You hit the nail on its head when you said that Romney wants to be all things to all people. I would modify that slightly. Romney wants to be all things to all conservatives.

[mtnlife96]

09:18 AM on 09/07/2011

As a resident of NC (Western), it is obvious here the large number of uninsured. The frustrating thing is that they are not necessarily underserved, they are served in the most cost inefficient manner. In the mean time our regional "non-profit" mega-medical centers are constantly expanding and acquiring land (in many instances, from their own board members) and raising their prices to support their "charitable efforts." My competent family physician recently became a part of the local hospital group because she could no longer afford her single practice and, as a result, the cost of a routine visit to her more than doubled. Of course, 100% of the added cost was passed to me as deductible and co-pay by my insurer. The medical industry is little more than a money machine for a select few and they do it all with tax-free status.

[Brown Buddha]

09:15 AM on 09/07/2011

It's not shocking that most of the worst ones are in Red states where people don't want government involved in their healthcare. Maybe you should. While you are at it, demand better education as well.

[Evil Twin Rove]

09:13 AM on 09/07/2011

Yes... Mass. #1... my state... Obama's h-care plan modeled after it... I guess Obamacare was is a GOOD thing then...

for the record - I don't agree with the individual mandate

[eagle17765]

09:19 AM on 09/07/2011

For the record, I don't like the Bob Dole (R) Individual Mandate either