We compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 11 key metrics using data from the Kaiser Family Foundation to determine which states are most and least expensive for health care.
Key Takeaways
- South Dakota topped the list of states with the most expensive health care, while Michigan is the cheapest.
- Forbes Advisor’s analysis found that the eastern part of the country is where you may find the most expensive health care costs. Five of the 10 most expensive states for medical care are in the east, including West Virginia, Florida, Maine, Delaware and New Hampshire.
- The western part of the country has many of the cheapest states for health care, including Washington, Nevada, Hawaii, New Mexico and Oregon.
Top 5 States Where Health Care Is Most Expensive
1. South Dakota
South Dakota’s score: 100 out of 100
The families of 12% of children in South Dakota struggled to pay for their child’s medical bills between 2019 and 2020, making the state tied for fourth highest in the nation for this metric. Only Wyoming, Florida and Texas were higher. Nebraska, Kansas and Indiana were tied with South Dakota.
The Mount Rushmore State also ranked ninth highest for health care costs per person in the state, with South Dakota health care costs averaging $11,736 per year for services, such as hospital care, doctor’s visits, nursing home care and prescription medications.
South Dakota also had the third highest increase in overall health care spending per person over a five-year period (24.38%). Only New York and Hawaii saw bigger jumps.
South Dakota had the sixth highest annual health insurance premium for those with individual plans in the Affordable Care Act marketplace ($7,156) and the third highest annual health insurance deductible for employer-provided insurance among those with single coverage ($2,428).
2. Louisiana
Louisiana’s score: 86.69 out of 100
Louisiana residents with employer-provided health insurance pay some of the highest premiums in the nation. The average single employee spends an average $1,740 per year (the sixth highest amount in the nation). Employees with “plus one” coverage pay $4,685 (the highest in the nation) and employees with a family plan pay $6,999.67 annually (the second highest in the nation).
Louisiana had the fifth highest increase in overall health care spending per person between 2016 and 2020 (23.10%). Only New York, Hawaii, South Dakota and California saw a bigger hike.
3. West Virginia
West Virginia’s score: 82.31 out of 100
West Virginians with individual health insurance from the Affordable Care Act marketplace paid the fourth highest annual health insurance premiums in the nation ($8,024).
The state ranked seventh highest in the country for overall health care spending per person ($12,019).
West Virginia residents have experienced the eighth highest increase in per capita health spending over a five-year period: West Virginians spent 21.75% more on health care in 2020 than they did in 2016.
