Past studies have shown that currently in Kentucky, 85.5 out of every 100 residents have some sort of Health Insurance coverage. This mean that almost 15 out of every 100 residents, (or 15,000 out of every 100,000 residents) have no Health Insurance coverage and are in potential danger of financial distress, in case of any medical eventuality. In times of economic uncertainty, it’s not a good idea to remain uninsured.

The percentage of employers within the state that offer Health Benefits to their workers is slightly above the national average, as almost 60% of employers offer Health Insurance coverage for employees. 8 out of 10 employees take advantage of the Health Benefits offered by their employers. This is one of the best ways to obtain Health Insurance Coverage these days.

Adequate and accessible health plans might be endangered if measures are not taken to stop the dropping Health Insurance rates. With each passing day, it’s more likely for the percentage of residents that lack Health Insurance Coverage to increase. With a low primary care physician’s rate (barely 1 physician for every 1,000 Kentuckians) and a relatively low percentage of ready Medical Care (barely 82% of the state residents could get access to Health Care if needed), Kentucky needs to work on the accessibility of its Health System. Federally Qualified Health Centers need to be encouraged, as they are already working, but serving only a small percentage of the population under 200% FPL.

If you are a Kentucky resident searching for Health Insurance Plans, we strongly encourage you to check the site of Kentucky’s Department of Insurance. You can check that any agents or companies you’re interested of dealing with have the appropriate licenses to sell you Health Insurance plans and are admitted by the state of Kentucky.

Health Information:

Health Ranking:  #37
State Health Department Web Site: http://www.kdheks.gov/

Despite still being below the national average when it comes to health, Kentucky’s efforts to improve the overall healthiness of its residents have been working well. America’s Health Ranking had ranked Kentucky as one of the worst in the country in 2007, but in 2008 the state regained six spots and is now the 37th healthiest state in the US. This position is the best position that Kentucky has had in the past 10 years.

One of the biggest reasons of the positive bump in Kentucky this year, is the increase in Public Health funding per capita. This extra funding has helped the State’s Health Authorities to battle important issues. One of the biggest challenges for this state in the near future is to ensure that Health Insurance coverage is accessible and affordable for Kentucky residents. As long as they continue the hard work they have been doing for the past year, Kentucky’s health can improve even more in the coming years.

Health Highlights

• There is no doubt that funding can help turn things around: Public health funding increased last year, helping this state tremendously. Also, the percentage of children living in poverty conditions was reduced in the past year, a very positive sign of good change within the sate.
• Kentucky has the honor of being the state with the lowest incidence of binge drinking in the country (only 8.4%). It has also managed to increase the percentage of High School graduations by 2.9%. More and healthier High School Graduates can only mean good things for this state’s future.

Health Weaknesses

• The rate of primary care physicians is very low (103.2 physicians per 100,000 residents), and number of residents lacking Health Insurance Coverage seems to be increasing again. It’s vital that these two issues are controlled so accessibility is not compromised.
• Kentucky also needs to work on the effectiveness of its Health Care, as it is the second state with the highest number of preventable hospitalizations.
• Kentucky is the state with most cancer-related deaths in the Country.
• Air pollution has also increased over the past year, so environmental policies and plans should be evaluated to stop this.
• Obesity and the incidence of Smoking within the State are important issues to be looked upon, (i28.7% Kentuckians are obese, and 28.2% are smokers). Preventive health measures and a healthier lifestyle will make of Kentucky a healthier place to live.

Kentucky Health Insurance Quotes

In order to save on health insurance in Kentucky and find the best match for your personal coverage needs, you need more information than any one health insurance company can provide. You need to be able to review quotes from a broad range of Kentucky health insurance companies and see how their plan rates and benefits stack up. That is why we enable you to choose from a broad range of insurance companies and health insurance plans available in Kentucky.

Kentucky Health Insurance News

As a resident of Kentucky, it’s always important to be informed of the latest events and news regarding Health Insurance in your state. Here are some of the latest headlines that mention Health Care and Health Insurance related topics for Kentucky:

 

Kentucky Insurance and Department of Health Information

If you have any additional questions or need special assistance, feel free to visit or contact Kentucky’s Department of Insurance and Cabinet for Health & Family Services directly:

Kentucky Department of Insurance
215 W. Main St.
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (800) 595-6053
http://doi.ppr.ky.gov/kentucky/

Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Office of the Secretary
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40621
Phone: 1-800-372-2973
http://chfs.ky.gov/