PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island is the seventh-best state for children’s health care, according to an April 24 analysis by WalletHub, a finance website.
Using 20 metrics addressing children’s health, access to health care, nutrition, physical activity, obesity and oral health, WalletHub graded each metric on a 100-point scale, and identified the top 10 and bottom 10 states for children’s health care.
New England states are heavily represented in the top 10 – Vermont (1, with a score of 72.15, out of 100), Massachusetts (2, with a score of 64.13), Connecticut (3, with a score of 61.71), New Hampshire (5, with a score of 61.68) and Rhode Island (7, with a score of 58.8).
Nevada’s score of 31.97 placed it as the worst state for children’s health care.
Each of the 10 best states for children’s health care expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, while only five of the worst states expanded their Medicaid programs, WalletHub reported.
Nancy Kirsch is a PBN contributing writer.
