With every study published ranking the 50 states, no matter the subject, our beloved Sportsman’s Paradise consistently ranks last in almost every category that counts.
According to infographics website WalletHub, Louisiana is among the lowest ranking states in education and economics, while our only first place ranking unfortunately lies in obesity.
Most recently, WalletHub’s annual analysis places Louisiana as 51st (including the District of Columbia) regarding healthcare, despite the frequent promises of Governor Edwards to make healthcare more affordable on a state level. From WalletHub’s analysis…
Health Care in Louisiana (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
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35th – Avg. Monthly Insurance Premium
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23rd – Physicians per Capita
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51st – Dentists per Capita
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34th – Physician Medicare-Acceptance Rate
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43rd – % of Insured Adults
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23rd – % of Insured Children
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21st – % of At-Risk Adults with No Routine Doctor Visit in Past Two Years
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51st – % of Adults with No Dental Visit in Past Year
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19th – % of Medical Residents Retained
Last September, when Edwards sparred with Bill Cassidy over Medicaid expansion, he made it clear that his goal was to expand Medicaid with the intention of making healthcare affordable to all who rely on it.
Even after putting half a million residents on Medicaid and piling billions onto the budget, Louisiana ranks 39th in healthcare accessibility, despite his significant enrollment expansion.
As per the Louisiana Department of Health’s website, $7 billion in taxpayer funds are allocated to Medicaid and other healthcare programs, yet Louisiana has the highest infant mortality rate, the highest number of deaths by diabetes, and the lowest rate of breast cancer survivors nationally. Those aren’t numbers indicating the state is on the right track with respect to health care despite all that money being spent.
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The line of questioning arises with these numbers—Why is Louisiana’s healthcare so poor despite being so extensively funded?
Our leadership is failing to effectively allocate resources and promote healthy practices within the state, something residents would be wise to remember come next fall.
It looks like Louisiana needs a cure from all these last place rankings, not that it’s going to be properly treated anytime soon.
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