Texas among national leaders on Forbes list of most expensive health care costs

Wanting to see a doctor or get medical treatment in Texas comes at a hefty price.

That’s because the Lone Star State has the fifth highest healthcare costs in the nation, a Forbes study found.

The study compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C., to determine where healthcare costs will be the most expensive in 2024.

Forbes revealed that Texas has the highest percentage of adults who have chosen not to see a doctor at some point in the past 12 months due to cost.

How Forbes determined where Texas ranked in healthcare costs

A number of factors were considered to determine which states are the most and least expensive for healthcare.

Some included the average annual premium for employees with single and family coverage through employer-provided health insurance and the percentage of adults reporting 14 or more mentally unhealthy days a month.

North Carolina ranked as the No. 1 most expensive state followed by South Dakota, Nebraska, and Florida. Texas ranked fifth with a score of 91.38 out of 100 points.

Forbes also found that Texas has the highest percentage of children —14.9%—whose families struggled to pay for their child’s medical bills in the past 12 months.

Furthermore, the state ranks third highest for its percentage of adults reporting 14 or more mentally unhealthy days a month who could not see a doctor due to cost (31.5%).

Additionally, the study found that Texas exhibits the fourth-highest annual premium for both plus-one health insurance coverage ($4,626) and family health insurance coverage ($7,051.33) through an employer.

The top five states with the most affordable healthcare costs were Hawaii at No. 1, followed by Michigan, Washington, California, and Massachusetts.

Experts advise consumers to compare prices for the most affordable health insurance and select a plan based on their urgent medical needs to save money.

Top 10 states with the most expensive healthcare

1. North Carolina
2. South Dakota
3. Nebraska
4. Florida
5. Texas
6. South Carolina
7. Arizona
8. Georgia
9. New Hampshire
10. Louisiana

Tiffani Jackson

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Tiffani is a service journalism reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions about life in North Texas. Tiffani mainly writes about Texas laws and health news.