MONROE - Monroe and five other Wisconsin cities made a list recently of the best cities in the country for health care, based on U.S. Census data.
Watertown, Fond du Lac, La Crosse and Sheboygan also made the list, compiled by the Newsweek-owned website The Daily Beast. The list of 25 best (and 25 worst) cities is based on data collected from 2008 to 2010 on overall health coverage, as well as the percentages of children, seniors and disabled people with health care. Monroe came in at 10th on the list.
"We are always in the upper echelon," said Mary Grasmick, vice president of communications at the Wisconsin Hospital Association. "Wisconsin has one of the highest 'insured rates' in the country, without a personal mandate that requires individuals to have health insurance, as is the case in Massachusetts."
The top five cities on the best-of list are all in Massachusetts. Texas, Florida and California lead in The Daily Beast's ranking of worst cities for health care. McAllen, Texas, is ranked worst, with an overall health-care coverage of 62.7 percent. Monroe's overall health-care coverage is reported at almost 92 percent.
Grasmick also attributes Monroe's good ranking to a state law that as of Jan. 1, 2010, requires coverage through a parent's insurance for unmarried dependents up to age 27, if not otherwise insured through an employer. A similar federal law took effect about nine months later.
"Wisconsin already had that law on the books," she said.
RoAnn Warden, health officer at the Green County Health Department, said the Monroe Clinic - although not accounted for in The Daily Beast's ranking - boosts the city's overall access to health care with its "wonderful" community care program.
"It helps fill in the gaps in health-care access," she said.
Health insurance is critical to good health, Warden added, but insurance rates don't necessarily tell the whole story of a community's health. Underinsured people, for instance, tend to use less preventative health care and rely more often on expensive trips to the emergency room, and dental, mental and longterm-care insurance coverage are also important to overall health.
Warden and Grasmick agree BadgerCare, the state's insurance system for low-income families, helps Wisconsin's ranking.
Grasmick said her organization is concerned with the impact national health reform will have on the cost and accessibility of health care here.
"We're looking at health reform with a very watchful eye," she said. "With an estimated 32 million people expected to gain coverage under health reform, the shortage of physicians and other health care professionals will be more acute and could potentially limit access to care."
States like Texas are likely to feel that squeeze more, she added, since Wisconsinites already have a high rate of coverage.
Watertown, Fond du Lac, La Crosse and Sheboygan also made the list, compiled by the Newsweek-owned website The Daily Beast. The list of 25 best (and 25 worst) cities is based on data collected from 2008 to 2010 on overall health coverage, as well as the percentages of children, seniors and disabled people with health care. Monroe came in at 10th on the list.
"We are always in the upper echelon," said Mary Grasmick, vice president of communications at the Wisconsin Hospital Association. "Wisconsin has one of the highest 'insured rates' in the country, without a personal mandate that requires individuals to have health insurance, as is the case in Massachusetts."
The top five cities on the best-of list are all in Massachusetts. Texas, Florida and California lead in The Daily Beast's ranking of worst cities for health care. McAllen, Texas, is ranked worst, with an overall health-care coverage of 62.7 percent. Monroe's overall health-care coverage is reported at almost 92 percent.
Grasmick also attributes Monroe's good ranking to a state law that as of Jan. 1, 2010, requires coverage through a parent's insurance for unmarried dependents up to age 27, if not otherwise insured through an employer. A similar federal law took effect about nine months later.
"Wisconsin already had that law on the books," she said.
RoAnn Warden, health officer at the Green County Health Department, said the Monroe Clinic - although not accounted for in The Daily Beast's ranking - boosts the city's overall access to health care with its "wonderful" community care program.
"It helps fill in the gaps in health-care access," she said.
Health insurance is critical to good health, Warden added, but insurance rates don't necessarily tell the whole story of a community's health. Underinsured people, for instance, tend to use less preventative health care and rely more often on expensive trips to the emergency room, and dental, mental and longterm-care insurance coverage are also important to overall health.
Warden and Grasmick agree BadgerCare, the state's insurance system for low-income families, helps Wisconsin's ranking.
Grasmick said her organization is concerned with the impact national health reform will have on the cost and accessibility of health care here.
"We're looking at health reform with a very watchful eye," she said. "With an estimated 32 million people expected to gain coverage under health reform, the shortage of physicians and other health care professionals will be more acute and could potentially limit access to care."
States like Texas are likely to feel that squeeze more, she added, since Wisconsinites already have a high rate of coverage.