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Health insurance premiums are lower in some states than others. Health care costs really seem to be hitting home hard with inflation rising. In this post, we will cover locations in the United States with the lowest average health care costs.
Key points
➢ Where you live and what type of medical treatment you receive depends on several factors including your state, county, and zip code.
➢ You shouldn’t just look at cost when choosing a healthcare provider.
➢ When choosing which doctor to go to for treatment, consider the level of care offered by each option before making your decision.
Here Are Five States Where Healthcare Costs Are Lower Than Average
Health care has been a topic of conversation for a long time now, but especially after the COVID-19 outbreak started over two years ago. We all wish we didn’t ever need health care so that we could avoid the hefty costs associated with it.
However, the cost you pay for health insurance depends not only on the type of coverage you choose but where you live too. These are the five US cities with the lowest average healthcare prices.
Five States with the Lowest Average Health Care Costs:
➢ Mississippi
➢ West Virginia
➢ Louisiana
➢ Arkansas
➢ Oklahoma
As of the second half of 2022, these five states will be paying the least for health care per capita.
- Kentucky (20.3% cheaper than the national median)
- Arkansas (18.8% cheaper)
- Maryland (11.9% cheaper)
- Alabama (10.4% cheaper)
- Tennessee (10.1% cheaper)
Though not technically a US territory, Puerto Rico also merits a mention here. It boasts some of the lowest healthcare costs in the United States, with average prices about 27% lower than the national average.
Those numbers may seem pretty good to you, but they’re not really telling the whole story. What matters most is whether you get high-quality care when you need it, regardless of where you happen to be living.
When we look at these states using our metrics, the story changes dramatically. Only one state, Maryland, is actually doing better than average. All the rest are doing worse than average.
However, these statistics aren’t representative of the average costs or qualities of healthcare services across every single city and town in each state. So, it’s up to you to do the legwork necessary to find high-value providers and hospitals within your budget.
Finding Great Health Care at Reasonable Pricing
For most of us our health insurance options are restricted by our location. We can’t just hop on a plane and head to another city to seek better care.
However, if you’re living in an urban environment with multiple facilities nearby, you might have some choices in where you choose to receive medical attention. Check out hospital ratings to determine what facility offers the best quality services.
If you have private healthcare insurance, make sure you compare it annually to ensure you get the best deal possible.
Do not just focus on the cheapest premium, make sure it also covers everything you think you and your family will require. You could end up having to empty your savings to pay for treatment your current plan does not cover.
Make sure you stay aware of your health insurance plan’s coverage and don’t visit out-of-province physicians unless it’s an emergent situation. Visiting out-of-provincial physicians may increase your bill considerably.
And most importantly, keep yourself healthy. Eat right, take 8 hours of good quality rest every day, and go for regular physical activity.
Make sure to check out any free health screenings offered by your health plan, because they can help you spot potential problems before they become serious. These small changes can add up to big savings down the road.