Washington Health Insurance

How Healthy is your State?

Washington is 11th this year; it was 13th in 2008, according to United Health Foundation's 2009 Study.

Strengths include a low prevalence of smoking at 15.7 percent of the population
A low percentage of children in poverty at 13.2 percent of persons under age 18
A low infant mortality rate at 4.9 deaths per 1,000 live births
A low rate of preventable hospitalizations with 48.3 discharges per 1,000 Medicare enrollees.

Challenges include a low high school graduation rate with 72.9 percent of incoming ninth graders who graduate within four years
High geographic disparity within the state at 12.5 percent.

In the past year, the rate of preventable hospitalizations decreased from 51.9 to 48.3 discharges per 1,000 Medicare enrollees.
In the past five years, the percentage of children in poverty declined from 19.1 percent to 13.2 percent of persons under age 18.
In the past ten years, the prevalence of smoking decreased from 21.4 percent to 15.7 percent of the population.
Since 1990, the prevalence of obesity increased from 9.4 percent to 26.0 percent of the population.