Policy Basics

In May, HPIO released the fifth edition of its biennial Health Value Dashboard. The 2023 Dashboard found that Ohio ranks 44^th in the nation in health value, a combination of population health and healthcare spending. This means that Ohioans are less healthy and spend more on health care than people in most other states. Ohio is one of only two states, along with West Virginia, to rank in the bottom quartile in both population health and healthcare spending (as displayed in the graphic below).

The Dashboard identified specific areas of strength on which Ohio can build to create opportunities for improved health value in the state. One of those areas is strengthening Ohio’s workforce and reducing poverty by building upon recent success in attracting employers in high-growth industries.

Ohio’s workforce is facing serious challenges. Labor force participation, as illustrated below, continues its long-term decline, with Ohio falling behind most other states. However, the state’s strong manufacturing base, strategic location and educational infrastructure has attracted major employers, such as Intel, Honda, Ford and LG Energy Solutions, to invest in the state in the past few years. Ohio is home to 200 corporate headquarters, 14 public universities and 23 community colleges. Further building upon these strengths can lead to a robust workforce that meets the needs of employers, re-invigorates local communities and increase earnings, which will, in turn, reduce poverty and improve health.

Population health and healthcare spending

• Inaugural Maternal Mental Health State Report Card – Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health
• Congressional District Health Dashboard – NYU Langone Health
• Rural Americans Struggle with Medical Bills and Health Care Affordability – Commonwealth Fund

Social and economic environment

• Social Drivers of Infant Mortality action guides – HPIO
  • Transportation
  • Employment
  • Education
  • Housing
• Strategies to prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Ohio: Building skills and strengthening connections to caring adults – HPIO

Physical environment

• Climate and Health Outlook – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• The Untapped Potential of Medicaid to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Commonwealth Fund
• The Health Care Costs of Extreme Heat – Center for American Progress

Access to care

• Ohio Medicaid Basics 2023 – HPIO
• Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker – KFF
• Building on Behavioral Health Parity: State Options to Strengthen Access to Care – Commonwealth Fund

Healthcare system

• How Regional Partnerships Bolster Rural Hospitals – Commonwealth Fund
• Focusing on Equity at Every Step of Your Age-Friendly Health Systems Journey – Institute for Healthcare Improvement
• Underfunded and Overburdened: The Toll of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Community Health Centers – Commonwealth Fund

Public health and prevention

• Ensuring Age-Friendly Public Health in Rural Communities: Challenges, Opportunities, and Model Programs – Trust for America’s Health
• The Impact of Chronic Underfunding on America’s Public Health System: Trends, Risks, and Recommendations, 2023 – Trust for America’s Health
• The Characteristics of Effective Health Education Curricula – Society for Public Health Education

Health equity

• Unlocking Ohio’s economic potential: The impact of eliminating racial disparities on Ohio businesses, governments and communities – HPIO
• What is Driving Widening Racial Disparities in Life Expectancy? – KFF
• Health Equity Tools Are Key to Improved Policies and Outcomes  – Pew Charitable Trusts

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To see the most current edition of the Ohio Health Value Review click here