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Equity in American healthcare is a work in progress. There are still some areas where it’s much easier and more convenient to access medical professionals and pharmacies. Improved access to care typically leads to better health outcomes, as well as an increased likelihood of people actually receiving preventative care and screenings.
Which states are falling short when it comes to accessible healthcare? We looked at four data sets to rank all 50 states from worst to best.
Shortage of primary care physicians: Access to primary care physicians is an important part of the healthcare system. Research from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis shows that using primary care results in better treatment of chronic conditions and an increased life expectancy.
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage: Having health insurance coverage has a direct impact on health outcomes, including earlier prevention and screening services as well as better outcomes with diseases like cancer.
Pharmacy access: Research shows that a lack of access to pharmacies is a major factor in medication nonadherence. Another study revealed that pharmacy closures resulted in an immediate decline in adherence among older U.S. adults taking cardiovascular medications.
Access to medical specialists: Patients treated by specialists are shown to have better health outcomes compared to those solely treated by general practitioners.
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New Mexico ranks as the worst state for healthcare access, particularly when it comes to specialists and pharmacists. But it’s not all bad news. Albuquerque has one of the highest telehealth participation rates in the country, according to a 2024 Hers study. (Albuquerque residents are the most likely of any metropolitan area in the U.S. to identify as “youthful.”)
New England and surrounding regions dominate the list of states with the best access to healthcare, with states like Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania on top.
States with smaller population densities showed up on our list of worst states for healthcare access, including Alaska, Montana, and New Mexico.
The three worst states for access to healthcare (Colorado, Alaska, and Texas) also had some of the lowest concentrations of physician specialists.
Vermont
Rhode Island
Hawaii
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
Minnesota
Ohio
Virginia, Utah (tied)
1. New Mexico
2. Missouri
3. Mississippi
4. Montana
5. North Carolina, Oklahoma, Nevada (tied)
8. Texas
9. Alaska
10. Colorado
Here are the best and worst states in each of the four categories we analyzed: primary care shortages, percentage of population without health insurance coverage, the number of pharmacies per 100,000 residents, and access to specialist care.
Many states have a shortage of primary care physicians, which impacts how quickly people are able to get medical attention or schedule preventative screenings. We looked at the percentage of need met in terms of primary care physicians for each state.
Least Amount of Primary Care Need Met
Delaware
Alaska
Missouri
Greatest Amount of Primary Care Need Met
Vermont
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
There is a major gap when it comes to health insurance coverage across the United States, which can hinder people from seeking medical care when they need it.
States With the Lowest Percentage of Health Insurance Coverage
Texas
Oklahoma
Georgia
States With the Highest Percentage of Health Insurance Coverage
Massachusetts
Hawaii
Vermont
Not only are people more likely to stay on top of medication when a pharmacy is nearby, they also use pharmacists as healthcare resources. One study found that patients visit community pharmacies twice as often as other providers, demonstrating the importance of access.
States with the Lowest Number of Pharmacies Per 100,000 Residents
Montana
New Hampshire
Illinois
States with the Highest Number of Pharmacies Per 100,000 Residents
South Dakota
Arizona
Georgia
We looked at the number of physician specialists per 100,000 residents in multiple disciplines, including psychiatry, surgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, cardiology, oncology, endocrinology, and other specializations.
States with the Fewest Medical Specialists Per 100,000 Residents
New Mexico
Missouri
South Dakota
States with the Most Medical Specialists Per 100,000 Residents
Pennsylvania
Florida
Wyoming
These rankings also mirror access to other types of specialists. Missouri has one of the lowest concentrations of OB-GYNs in the country, while Florida has one of the highest. Similarly, Florida has one of the highest concentrations of dermatologists in the country.
Based on the criteria outlined, plus the methodology explained below, here are all 50 states ranked from worst to best in terms of healthcare access across the U.S.
1. New Mexico
2. Missouri
3. Mississippi
4. Montana
5. Nevada, North Carolina, and Oklahoma (tied)
8. Texas
9. Alaska
10. Colorado
11. Illinois
12. North Dakota
13. South Carolina
14. South Dakota
15. Idaho and Washington (tied)
17. Georgia
18. California
19. New Jersey
20. Wyoming and Oregon (tied)
22. Florida, Indiana, and Maryland (tied)
25. Michigan
26. Arizona and Delaware (tied)
28. New Hampshire and New York (tied)
30. Kentucky
31. Iowa, Tennessee, and Wisconsin (tied)
34. Kansas
35. Arkansas and Maine (tied)
37. Louisiana
38. Alabama and Nebraska (tied)
40. West Virginia
41. Utah and Virginia (tied)
43. Ohio
44. Minnesota
45. Pennsylvania
46. Massachusetts
47. Connecticut
48. Hawaii
49. Rhode Island
50. Vermont
Note: Based on data collected in August 2024. Get the data.
We based our rankings on four data categories related to health access.
Percentage of primary care need met: Access to primary care helps with both prevention and treatment of health issues. We looked at data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ quarterly summary of Designated Health Professional Shortage Areas Statistics for the third quarter of 2024.
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage: We used the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent data from in 2022.
Number of pharmacies per 100,000 residents: We compared the number of pharmacies in each state to the population, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 County Business Patterns.
Number of specialist physicians: Using data from KFF—Professionally Active Specialist Physicians by Field, (KFF, May 2024)—we compared the total number of specialists to each state’s population to find which areas had the most and least access.
All categories were weighed equally. Each state was ranked individually in each category, then the average rank was used to determine final placement on the list.
Your health doesn’t have to take a backseat just because you live in an area with less access to medical care. Here are some strategies to make the most of health services no matter where you live to support healthy living.
Access telehealth services: Utilizing telehealth can significantly increase access to certain types of care. Many telehealth companies also provide affordable services for those who don’t have insurance, providing people more options for affordable care no matter where you live.
Be proactive with preventative care: Instead of waiting to visit a provider when you’re sick, plan ahead no matter your age or current level of health. Scheduling regular screenings and checkups can lead to earlier detection and treatment of chronic diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and osteoarthritis.
Use a mail prescription service: Mail-order pharmacies make it easier and more convenient to manage prescriptions, especially if you don’t have a pharmacy nearby. You may even save on copays, especially if you’re managing a chronic condition with ongoing medication.
Ready to feel better about your health and wellness needs? Get the care you deserve through Hers, which offers access to telehealth and prescription medication personalized to your unique needs.
Get started with an online consultation today.
Dr. Mike Bohl is a licensed physician and the Director of Medical Content & Authority at Hims & Hers. Prior to joining Hims & Hers, Dr. Bohl worked in digital health at Ro, focusing on patient education, and as the Director of Scientific & Medical Content at a stealth biotech startup, working on pharmaceutical drug development. He has also worked in medical journalism for The Dr. Oz Show (receiving recognition for contributions from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences when the show won Outstanding Informative Talk Show at the 2016–2017 Daytime Emmy® Awards) and at Sharecare, and he is a Medical Expert Board Member at Eat This, Not That!.
Dr. Bohl obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine from Brown University, his Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership from Cornell University, his Master of Public Health from Columbia University, and his Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies—Journalism from Harvard University. Dr. Bohl trained in internal medicine with a focus on community health at NYU Langone Health.
Dr. Bohl is Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners, Medical Writer Certified by the American Medical Writers Association, a certified Editor in the Life Sciences by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences, a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Nutrition Coach by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and a Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist by the Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs. He has graduate certificates in Digital Storytelling and Marketing Management & Digital Strategy from Harvard Extension School and certificates in Business Law and Corporate Governance from Cornell Law School.
In addition to his written work, Dr. Bohl has experience creating medical segments for radio and producing patient education videos. He has also spent time conducting orthopaedic and biomaterial research at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland and practicing clinically as a general practitioner on international medical aid projects with Medical Ministry International.
Dr. Bohl lives in Manhattan and enjoys biking, resistance training, sailing, scuba diving, skiing, tennis, and traveling. You can find Dr. Bohl on LinkedIn for more information.
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