Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Vermont, and Utah are the top-ranked states according to the Commonwealth Fund’s 2018 Scorecard on State Health System Performance. The scorecard assesses all 50 states and the District of Columbia on more than 40 measures of access to health care, quality of care, efficiency in care delivery, health outcomes, and income-based health care disparities. Overall, states are losing ground on key measures related to life expectancy and gaps in mental health care were pervasive across states, including Washington.
Washington State ranked seventh, with improvements in some areas since baseline (2012/2013), and challenges persisting in others. For example, the survey found that 56% of mentally ill adults here are not receiving treatment. This will be an important measure to watch in future years as planned changes in the mental health system are implemented. Recently, a 5-year plan to address mental health access was proposed by Governor Inslee.
The state ranked third in measures related to avoidable hospital use and cost. Most states are improving access and affordability, including Washington, even though we still rank 20th in this dimension.