The Census Bureau estimates that just over 6.4-million people call Tennessee “home.” When it comes to the overall health rankings, Tennessee is in the lower half of the list. However, Tennessee did move up three spots to 39th out of the 50 states in the 2012 “America’s Health Rankings.” A number of factors determine health insurance Tennessee premiums. The state ranks very well in some categories, while it is near the bottom in some others. Here are some of the benefits and drawbacks associated with living in Tennessee.
Note: Stats and figures are provided by “America’s Health Rankings” from the United Health Foundation.
Health Insurance Tennessee: Pros
The health insurance pros of Tennessee include:
• No state in the country has a lower prevalence of binge drinking, as Tennessee is ranked first.
• When it comes to public health funding, the “Volunteer State” is ranked 21st.
• Tennessee is 20th in the country when it comes to the availability of primary care physicians.
• Tennessee is 24th in high school graduation rate.
• The state is 25th in the number of poor mental health days available.
Health Insurance Tennessee: Cons
The health insurance cons of Tennessee include:
• Tennessee is 48th in the nation when it comes to living a sedentary lifestyle
• The state is 47th in the country in terms of violent crime.
• Tennessee ranks 35th or worse in obesity, smoking, occupational fatalities, and air pollution.
• Tennessee ranks 40th or worse in several categories, including preventable hospitalizations, low birthweight, diabetes, the number of poor physical health days, cardiovascular deaths, premature death, and infant mortality.
Health Insurance Tennessee: Resources
There are a number of health insurance Tennessee resources available for those in need, including:
• TennCare Program
• National health reform and Tennessee
• TennCare Oversight Division
• Tennessee Health Care Campaign
• Tennessee mental health resource guide
• The National Coalition on Health Care’s information for Tennessee