RHODE ISLAND RANKED No. 10 in the nation for health care and fifth in New England. /COURTESY WALLETHUB
RHODE ISLAND RANKED No. 10 in the nation for health care and fifth in New England. /COURTESY WALLETHUB

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island ranked No. 10 for best state for health care in a WalletHub report released Monday.

The New England region fared well generally, with every state but Maine falling in the top 10 for health care nationwide. Rhode Island ranked fifth in the New England rankings.

The study measured 35 different metrics grouped to evaluate cost, accessibility and outcome of health care in each state and the District of Columbia.

Hawaii ranked No. 1 while Louisiana was ranked as having the worst health care in the nation.

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In addition to ranking No. 10 overall, Rhode Island ranked No. 15 for best rank in terms of cost, No. 13 in terms of access and No. 10 for group outcome metrics.

However, the average cost of a medical visit in the state was $142.46, which ranked No. 46 for least expensive trip in the nation. At $88.44, the average cost of a dental visit ranked No. 20 of all states.

Rhode Island has the No. 3 for most physicians per capita, right behind Massachusetts at No. 2.

Rhode Island also ranked No. 3 for lowest share of adults with no personal doctor at 13.1 percent. At 30 minutes, though, the state still ranked No. 46 for average emergency room wait time.

The cancer rate in Rhode Island was No. 43 for lowest in the nation, with 470 cases per 100,000. The Ocean State also ranked 13th in the rate of insurance for both adults and children while Massachusetts was ranked first in that metric.

New England Rankings:

New Hampshire: No. 4 overall; No. 16 in cost, No. 4 in access, No. 7 in outcomes

Connecticut: No. 6 overall; No. 30 in cost, No. 2 in access, No.5 in outcomes

Vermont: No. 8 overall; No. 20 in cost, No. 18 in access, No. 3 in outcomes

Massachusetts: No. 9 overall; No. 41 in cost, No. 3 in access, No. 2 in outcomes

Rhode Island: No. 10 overall; No. 15 in cost, No. 13 in access, No. 10 in outcomes

Maine: No. 14 overall; No. 17 in cost, No. 1 in access, No. 26 in outcomes

Kyle Borowski is a PBN contributing writer.