How Is Obesity Affecting Medical Insurance?July 2008
This week
Ohio.com reported some pretty bad news regarding Ohio health insurance. In a point-by-point comparison of medical insurance and health care, the Buckeye State falls short compared not only to Ontario, Canada, but also the rest of the U.S. in many aspects.
The Ohio/Ontario comparison was made based on similarities not only in population, but in demographics. Ohio and Ontario are close in population, overall economic size and demographic measures such as median age, average household and family size, and education. They also have similar economies, making it easier to compare
Ohio health insurance alongside the national plan offered to Canadian citizens.
The results didn't look good. While Canadians do have to wait longer for big-ticket items like an MRI or hip replacement surgery, Ontario residents live longer, their infant mortality rate is much lower, and access to
medical insurance means that Ontario has lower death rates for each of the top six causes, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, emphysema, diabetes, and even accidents.
And what about the rest of the U.S.? The increase in obesity that has been recognized in the last several years has hit Ohio pretty hard, bringing up incidences of preventable disease like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Around 24% of Ohio is now obese, making it one of the heavier states in the country. Alongside the fact that 12% of Ohio doesn't have medical insurance, it's easy to see why their health care is declining.
Facts on:
Ohio Health Insurance
Did you know...
12% of Ohio state citizens don't have health insurance?
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Experts argue that greater access to Ohio health insurance would help alleviate the problem by providing Ohioans with preventative care and access to doctors who could advise them on how to adopt healthier lifestyles.
And while many Americans don't think that a Canadian-style health care system would work for the U.S., changing the one we've got is certainly looking to be well worth the while.
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