Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Report: Health Care Has Vastly Improved Across U.S., But Progress Remains Uneven
The Baltimore Sun: New Scorecard Ranks Baltimore In Top Third Of Cities For Health
Health care improved across the U.S. in the three years ending in 2014, though progress was uneven around the country, according to a new scorecard released by the Commonwealth Fund. The nonprofit health research group looked at three dozen indicators in 306 localities nationwide that were grouped into categories, including access and affordability of care, prevention and treatment, potentially avoidable hospital use and cost, and health behaviors and outcomes. (Cohn, 7/14)
Georgia Health News: Ga. Health Care Markets Show Improvements, But Also Big Gaps
Seven Georgia urban markets saw general improvement in their health care systems from 2011 through 2014, according to a new national study released Thursday. But each of the seven metropolitan areas was ranked in the bottom half of the 306 U.S. communities evaluated in the Commonwealth Fund’s health system ‘’scorecard.” Atlanta received the highest ranking among the Georgia markets, at 189. It was followed by Columbus, at 207; Augusta, 229; Savannah, 247; Albany, 256; Macon, 294; and Rome, 298. (Miller, 7/14)
Houston Chronicle: Access To Health Care Improves, But Unevenly, Report Says
While access to health care and insurance coverage has improved in the United States, troubling gaps persist in Texas and across the country that have been toughest on poor Americans, according to a major report on the nation's health care system. (Deam, 7/14)
Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota Health Market Strongest In State, Report Finds
Sarasota had Florida's strongest local health system in 2014 in terms of access and affordability of care, prevention and treatments, avoidable hospital use and healthy lifestyles, according to a nationwide report from The Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit research group focused on promoting a health system that improves access and quality for all people. (7/14)
Greenville News: Greenville Area Drops In National Ranking Of Health
The greater Greenville County area fell six places on a national scorecard ranking the health status of communities between 2012 and 2016, a new report shows. But that has more to do with greater rates of improvement in other communities than declines here, a scientist involved in the rankings said. The region dropped from 178 to 184 in a ranking of 306 communities by The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that advocates for a better health care system. (Osby, 7/14)
Arizona Daily Star: Tucson Could Improve Its Health, New Report Says
When it comes to health, a new report says that where you live matters — and that in Tucson there’s room for improvement. Data from a New York-based nonprofit, The Commonwealth Fund, ranks Tucson 163rd out of 306 metropolitan areas in a score based on 36 indicators of health care and health quality. Phoenix ranked below Tucson, at 180th. Honolulu, Hawaii, was ranked first and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was ranked last. (Innes, 7/14)
