Virginia Health Insurance

State Rankings

Much like its position in the mid-Atlantic region, Virginia shares characteristics with Northern states and its less healthy Southern neighbors. The percentage of children in poverty decreased in Virginia in the past year, going from 14.8% to 12.3%, according to Unitedhealth. Binge drinking, though, actually increased to 15.3% of adults. Other key health indicators, such as diabetes and high school graduation, are more similar to Northern states. Virginia's diabetes rate, while having increased in the past decade, sits at only 8.7% of the population, while its high school graduation percent is in the top half nationwide. Obesity rates and smoking rates, however, are much more aligned with Southern states. Obesity in Virginia shot up more than 8% to 26.4% of adults, and while its smoking rate decreased to 18.5%, the decrease was much smaller than in many other states.

While its low percentage of childhood poverty and high use of prenatal care are key determinants to Virginia healthcare, several negatives still exist. Air pollution is especially high in Virginia, and immunization coverage is worryingly low. Still, Virginia ranks highly in many determinants, suggesting that its healthcare outcomes will improve in the coming years.

Virginia Healthcare

The percentage of uninsured Virginians is below the national average, according to the Kaiser Foundation, as is the state unemployment rate. Median household income is also much higher than the national average. These statistics suggest a bright future for Virginia healthcare and health insurance costs for state residents, although several glaring negatives still need to be addressed, particularly smoking and air pollution. Still, Virginia has several health insurance programs that received high scores in the 2011 NCQA survey: