California Health Insurance Plans

How Healthy is your State?

California is 23rd this year; it was 24th in 2008, according to United Health Foundation's 2009 Study.

Strengths include a low prevalence of smoking at 14.0 percent of the population
A low prevalence of obesity at 24.2 percent of the population
A low rate of preventable hospitalizations with 60.7 discharges per 1,000 Medicare enrollees.

Challenges include high levels of air pollution at 13.9 micrograms of fine particulate per cubic meter
A high rate of uninsured population at 18.4 percent
California ranks lower for determinants than for health outcomes, indicating that overall healthiness may decline over time.

In the past year, the percentage of children in poverty increased from 17.9 percent to 20.2 percent of children under age 18.
In the past year, the high school graduation rate decreased from 74.6 percent to 69.2 percent of incoming ninth graders who graduate within four year.
In the past five years, the prevalence of smoking declined from 16.8 percent to 14.0 percent of the population.
In the past ten years, immunization coverage increased from 57.7 percent to 80.6 percent of children ages 19 to 35 months receiving complete immunizations.