The Healthcare Value Hub, a policy and research center focused on providing free information needed to achieve equitable healthcare systems, recently published a scorecard and checklist for healthcare affordability in Tennessee.

Their research found that “Tennessee has much work to do to ensure wise health spending and affordability for its residents. According to the Healthcare Value Hub’s Consumer Health Experience State Survey (CHESS), 61% of TN adults experienced healthcare affordability burdens as of 2021.”

The Hub looked at four main actions that state governments can take to reduce the burden of healthcare on residents and gave Tennessee a score in each category:

• Curbing excess prices in the system: 0.0/10
• Reducing low-value care: 2.8/10
• Extending coverage to all residents: 1.5/10
• Making out-of-pocket costs affordable: 0.6/10

These scores are underwhelming and we know that our state can do better. As their report also found, Medicaid Expansion is necessary for the quality of life of countless Tennesseans. To read more of the Hub’s research on healthcare affordability in Tennessee, go to this page.

Tennessee Healthcare Affordability Policy Scorecard
Tennessee Healthcare Affordability Checklist