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Commonwealth Fund 2023 Scorecard on State Health System Performance

Pennsylvania
Ranking Highlightsa How Health Care
Performance Changed in
Rank Among Pennsylvaniaᵇ
National Mid-Atlantic
Rank States*
10
Overall 9 of 51 3 of 6
17
Reproductive & Women’s Health 16 2
Access & Affordability 9 2
Prevention & Treatment 13 3
23
Avoidable Hospital Use & Cost 23 2
Healthy Lives 23 5 ● Indicators That Improved

Income Disparity 9 3 ● Indicators That Worsened

Racial & Ethnic Health Equity 10 3 ● Indicators with Little or No Change

* Mid-Atlantic states include DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, PA

How Pennsylvania Compares to All States

MA HI
NH RI
PA
VT CT
WA MD
NY DC MN OR
CA IA
Worse-than-average overall performance
ME NJ CO UT
VA NE WI ID IL DE MT MI

ND SD KS OH NM NC
AZ IN FL
Better-than-average overall performance SC MO AK
KY
NV
AL LA WY
GA TN
AR
TX
OK WV
MS

The Best and Worst in Pennsylvania

Best Performance Worst Performance

Preventable hospitalizations ages 18–64 Hospital 30-day readmission rate age 65 and older

Potentially avoidable emergency department visits ages 18–64 Drug overdose deaths

Hospital 30-day mortality Home health patients with a hospital admission

Improved the Most Worsened the Most

Preventable hospitalizations ages 18–64 Home health patients with improved mobility

Diabetic adults without an annual hemoglobin A1c test Central line-associated blood stream infection (CLABSI)

Hospital 30-day mortality Adults with all recommended cancer screenings

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Table 1. State Health System Performance Indicator Data by Dimension

Best Change
Data State U.S. state State Data State U.S. over
Dimension and indicator year rate average rate rank year rate average timeb

Access & Affordability 2023 Scorecard Baseline

Adults ages 19–64 uninsured 2021 7% 12% 3% 12 2019 8% 13% No Change

Children ages 0–18 uninsured 2021 4% 5% 1% 22 2019 4% 6% No Change

Adults age 18 and older who went

without care because of cost in past 2021 7% 10% 5% 7 2019 10% 14% Improved
year

Adults age 18 and older without a usual

2021 11% 17% 9% 7 — — — —
source of care

Individuals under age 65 with high out-

of-pocket medical costs relative to their 2020–21 6% 7% 5% 5 2018–19 8% 10% Improved
annual household income

Employee total potential out-of-pocket

medical costs as a share of state 2021 11% 12% 7% 23 2019 10% 12% Worsened
median income

People with medical debt 2021 9% 13% 2% 17 — — — —

Adults age 18 and older without a

2020 32% 35% 25% 15 2018 31% 34% No Change
dental visit in past year

Prevention & Treatment 2023 Scorecard Baseline

Adults with all age- and gender-

2020 73% 69% 76% 7 2018 68% 68% Improved
appropriate cancer screenings

Adults with age-appropriate flu and

2021 46% 42% 54% 17 2019 46% 41% No Change
pneumonia vaccines

Adults vaccinated against COVID-19

2022 41% 42% 63% 27 — — — —
with a booster

Diabetic adults without an annual

2021 9% 10% 4% 21 2019 14% 8% Improved
hemoglobin A1c test

Children without all recommended

2021 24% 28% 12% 14 2019 21% 27% Worsened
vaccines

Children with a medical home 2020–21 47% 46% 55% 35 2018–19 48% 48% No Change

Children without a medical and dental

2020-21 33% 38% 26% 12 — — — —
preventive care visit

Children who did not receive needed

2020–21 15% 20% 11% 8 2018–19 15% 18% No Change
mental health care

Adults age 18 and older with any

mental illness who did not receive 2019–20 52% 55% 41% 26 — — — —
treatment

Youth ages 12–17 with a major

depressive episode who did not receive 2019–20 55% 60% 33% 23 — — — —
mental health services

Hospitals with better-than-average

2021 52% 45% 83% 18 2019 38% 48% Improved
patient experience ratings

07/2018– 07/2016–
Hospital 30-day mortality 12% 12% 11% 5 13% 14% Improved
12/2021 06/2019

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Table 1. State Health System Performance Indicator Data by Dimension (cont.)

Best Change
Data State U.S. state State Data State U.S. over
Dimension and indicator year rate average rate rank year rate average timeb

Prevention & Treatment (cont.) 2023 Scorecard Baseline

Central line-associated bloodstream

2021 0.931 0.921 0.571 32 2019 0.698 0.689 Worsened
infection (CLABSI)

Nursing home residents with an

2020 15% 14% 9% 26 2018 16% 15% No Change
antipsychotic medication

Home health patients with improved

2019 81% 80% 87% 21 2017 76% 75% Improved
mobility

Avoidable Hospital Use & Cost 2023 Scorecard Baseline

Potentially avoidable emergency department visits

Ages 18–64, per 1,000 employer-

2021 124 134 122 3 2019 103 137 Worsened
insured enrollees

Age 65 and older, per 1,000

2021 131 141 115 14 2019 168 185 Improved
Medicare beneficiaries

Admissions for ambulatory care–sensitive conditions #N/A — #N/A —

Ages 18–64, per 1,000 employer-

2021 4 4 4 1 2019 7 7 Improved
insured enrollees

Age 65 and older, per 1,000

2021 33 29 16 40 2019 43 41 Improved
Medicare beneficiaries

30-day hospital readmissions #N/A — #N/A —

Ages 18–64, per 1,000 employer-

2021 3 3 2 7 2019 3 3 Improved
insured enrollees

Age 65 and older, per 1,000

2021 37 33 16 40 2019 43 40 Improved
Medicare beneficiaries

Skilled nursing patients with a

2020 57% 57% 69% 27 2018 53% 54% Improved
successful discharge

Home health patients with a hospital

2019 18% 15% 11% 47 2017 17% 16% Worsened
admission

Adults with inappropriate lower back

2021 69% 69% 60% 27 2019 69% 68% No Change
imaging

Employer-sponsored insurance
2021 $5,562 $6,060 $4,255 15 2019 $5,174 $5,354 No Change
spending per enrollee

Medicare spending per beneficiary 2021 $10,361 $10,478 $6,915 30 2019 $10,148 $10,180 No Change
Primary care spending as a share of total health care spending

Ages 18–64 (employer-insured

2021 6.2% 6.9% 10.0% 37 2019 6.1% 7.2% No Change
enrollees)

Age 65 and older (Medicare

2020 5.3% 5.5% 7.6% 24 2018 5.6% 5.7% No Change
beneficiaries)

Healthy Lives 2023 Scorecard Baseline

Premature deaths from treatable

2020–21 86 89 59 27 2018–19 83 84 No Change
causes per 100,000 population

Premature deaths from preventable

2020–21 221 232 152 24 2018–19 170 166 Worsened
causes per 100,000 population

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Table 1. State Health System Performance Indicator Data by Dimension (cont.)

Best Change
Data State U.S. state State Data State U.S. over
Dimension and indicator year rate average rate rank year rate average timeb

Healthy Lives (cont.) 2023 Scorecard Baseline

Drug overdose deaths per 100,000

2021 43 32 11 42 2019 36 22 Worsened
population

Suicide deaths per 100,000 population 2021 14 14 6 14 2019 14 14 No Change

Alcohol-related deaths per 100,000

2021 9 14 8 5 2019 7 10 No Change
population

Adults ages 18–64 who report fair or

2021 13% 14% 10% 26 2019 17% 17% Improved
poor health

Adults age 18 and older who smoke 2021 15% 14% 7% 26 2019 17% 15% Improved

Adults who are obese 2021 34% 34% 25% 23 2019 34% 32% No Change

Children who are overweight or obese 2020–21 30% 34% 24% 15 2018–19 28% 31% Worsened

Adults who have lost six or more teeth 2020 8% 9% 5% 23 2018 11% 9% Improved

Reproductive & Women’s Health 2023 Scorecard Baseline

Maternal deaths while pregnant or

within 42 days of termination of 2019–21 18 26 10 6 — — — —
pregnancy, per 100,000 live births

Severe maternal morbidity rate per

2020 92 88 43 36 2018 79 77 Worsened
10,000 in-hospital deliveries

Infant mortality, deaths per 1,000 live

2020 5.6 5.4 3.5 28 2018 5.9 5.7 No Change
births

Share of births born preterm, prior to 37

2021 10% 10% 8% 17 2019 10% 10% No Change
weeks of pregnancy (gestation)

Breast and cervical cancer deaths per

2021 22 22 16 21 2019 21 22 No Change
100,000 female population

All-cause mortality rate per 100,000

2021 120 124 79 25 2019 98 89 Worsened
women ages 15–44

Share of in-hospital births in state with

2021 1.86% 2.74% 0.30% 22 2019 1.91% 3.41% No Change
a self-pay insurance payment source

Women ages 18–44 without a usual

2021 13% 21% 9% 6 — — — —
source of care

Women ages 18–44 without a routine

2021 11% 13% 8% 16 2019 12% 13% No Change
checkup in the past two years

Share of births not beginning prenatal

2021 22% 22% 11% 32 2019 22% 22% No Change
care in first trimester

Share of women with a recent live birth

who did not report having a postpartum 2020 13% 11% 8% 30 2018 12% 9% No Change
checkup visit

Women with up-to-date breast and

2020 77% 74% 80% 10 2018 74% 76% Improved
cervical cancer screenings

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Table 2. State Income Disparity Data

Low- Low- Change

Data income State Data income over
year ratec Disparityd rank year ratec Disparityd timee

Disparity Indicator 2023 Scorecard Baseline

Adults ages 19–64 uninsured 2021 14% -10 16 2019 15% -11 Improved
Children ages 0–18 uninsured 2021 6% -4 21 2019 6% -4 No Change

Adults age 18 and older who went without care

2020–21 13% -9 3 2018–19 16% -11 Improved
because of cost in past year

Adults age 18 and older without a usual source of

2020–21 14% -3 1 — — — —
care

Individuals under age 65 with high out-of-pocket

medical costs relative to their annual household 2020–21 16% -16 13 2018–19 23% -22 Improved
income

Adults age 18 and older without a dental visit in past

2018/20 47% -26 18 2016/18 47% -26 No Change
year

Adults with all age- and gender-appropriate cancer

2018/20 66% -9 16 2016/18 63% -10 Improved
screenings

Adults with age-appropriate flu and pneumonia

2020–21 40% -11 4 2018–19 35% -12 No Change
vaccines

Children ages 19–35 months who did not receive all

2021 38% -22 45 2019 27% -11 Worsened
recommended vaccines

Children ages 0–17 with all components of a medical

2020–21 32% -25 19 2018–19 36% -24 No Change
home

Children without age-appropriate medical and dental

2020–21 46% -20 20 — — — —
preventive care visits in the past year

Potentially avoidable emergency department visits,

Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older, per 1,000 2020 217 -97 4 2019 300 -143 Improved
beneficiaries

Hospital admissions for ambulatory care–sensitive

conditions, Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older, 2020 61 -32 14 2019 85 -46 Improved
per 1,000 beneficiaries

30-day hospital readmissions, Medicare beneficiaries

2020 69 -38 20 2019 86 -49 Improved
age 65 and older, per 1,000 beneficiaries

Primary care spending as share of total health care

spending among Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and 2020 4.6% -0.7 26 2018 6.0% 0.5 No Change
older

Adults ages 18–64 who report fair or poor health 2020–21 25% -19 36 2018–19 31% -23 Improved

Adults age 18 and older who smoke 2020–21 27% -17 33 2018–19 30% -19 Improved

Adults ages 18–64 who are obese (BMI >= 30) 2020–21 40% -9 36 2018–19 38% -7 Worsened

Adults ages 18–64 who have lost six or more teeth

2018/20 19% -15 40 2016/18 17% -13 Worsened
because of tooth decay, infection, or gum disease

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Table 3. State Racial and Ethnic Health Equity Performance Summary Dataf

Health System Performance Score & State Rank

Among Population Group

Percentile Score State Rank Among

(1–100) Population Group

American Indian and Alaska Native people — —

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander people 93 7 of 30 states

Black people 42 10 of 39 states

Hispanic people 60 6 of 48 states

White peopleg 84 —

Performance Score based on methodology used in: Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity in U.S. Health Care: A Scorecard of State Performance ,
Commonwealth Fund, Nov. 2021, available at: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/scorecard/2021/nov/achieving-racial-ethnic-equity-us-health-
care-state-performance

Table 4. State Racial and Ethnic Health Equity Performance Measure Dataf

Data U.S. AIAN AANHPI Black Hispanic White

year total people people people people people

Health Outcomes

Deaths before age 75 from health care treatable causes

2020–21 89 64 43 167 75 79
per 100,000 population

Deaths before age 75 from preventable causes per

2020–21 232 156 97 385 217 208
100,000 population

Colorectal cancer deaths per 100,000 population 2020–21 13 — 9 16 10 13

Adults age 18 and older who smoke 2020–21 14% — 4% 19% 16% 15%

Adults ages 18–64 who are obese (BMI >= 30) 2020–21 34% 60% 8% 42% 33% 33%

Adults ages 18–64 who have lost six or more teeth

2018/20 9% — — 12% 7% 10%
because of tooth decay, infection, or gum disease

30-day hospital readmissions, Medicare beneficiaries age

2020 33 — — 68 — 32
65 and older, per 1,000 beneficiaries

Health Care Access

Adults ages 19–64 uninsured 2021 12% — 8% 9% 18% 6%

Children ages 0–18 uninsured 2021 5% — 3% 3% 5% 5%

Adults age 18 and older who went without care because

2020–21 10% — 6% 12% 13% 6%
of cost in past year

Adults age 18 and older without a usual source of care 2020–21 17% 32% 23% 12% 22% 11%

Individuals under age 65 with high out-of-pocket medical

2020–21 7% — 7% 4% 8% 6%
costs relative to their annual household income

Health Care Quality and Service Use

Adult women ages 50–74 who did not receive a

2018/20 22% — 11% 11% 11% 22%
mammogram in the past two years

Adult women ages 25–64 who did not receive a cervical

2018/20 24% — 33% 14% 20% 25%
cancer screening test in the past three years

Adults ages 50–74 without a recent colon cancer

2018/20 28% 34% 43% 25% 38% 26%
screening test

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Table 4. State Racial and Ethnic Health Equity Performance Measure Data (cont.)f

Data U.S. AIAN AANHPI Black Hispanic White

year total people people people people people

Health Care Quality and Service Use (cont.)

Adults age 18 and older who did not receive a flu shot in
2020–21 55% 50% 46% 58% 61% 48%
the last year

Adults age 65 and older who have never gotten a

2020–21 30% 18% 32% 41% 44% 27%
pneumonia vaccine

Hospital admissions for ambulatory care–sensitive

conditions, Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older, per 2020 29 — — 52 — 31
1,000 beneficiaries

Potentially avoidable emergency department visits,

Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older, per 1,000 2020 137 — — 209 — 124
beneficiaries

Adults age 18 and older without a dental visit in past year 2018/20 35% 44% 29% 41% 34% 29%

Children ages 19–35 months who did not receive all

2021 28% — — 33% 19% 24%
recommended vaccines

Children without age-appropriate medical and dental

2020–21 38% — — 36% 40% 29%
preventive care visits in the past year

Primary care spending as a share of total health care

2020 6% — — 4% — 5%
spending age 65 and older (Medicare beneficiaries)

Table 5. Select Reproductive Care and Women’s Health Measures by Race and Ethnicity

Data U.S. AIAN AANHPI Black Hispanic White

year total people people people people people

Severe maternal morbidity rate per 10,000 in-hospital

2020 88 — — 148 103 76
deliveries

Infant mortality, deaths per 1,000 live births 2019-20 5.4 — 2.9 11 6 4.4

Share of births born preterm, prior to 37 weeks of

2020-21 10% 11% 9% 14% 10% 9%
pregnancy (gestation)

Breast and cervical cancer deaths per 100,000 female

2020-21 22 — 13 31 15 21
population

All-cause mortality rate per 100,000 women ages 15–44 2020-21 124 — 32 194 87 112

Share of births not beginning prenatal care in first

2020-21 22% 40% 22% 31% 30% 19%
trimester

Notes
(a) The 2023 Scorecard rankings generally reflect 2021 data. The 2023 Scorecard added or revised several performance measures, including the addition
of 12 measures specifically related to reproductive care and women’s health and the removal of most measures around state COVID-19 response, since the
June 2022 Scorecard report; rankings are not comparable between reports.
(b) Trend data available for 50 of 58 total Scorecard indicators. Improved/worsened denotes a change of at least one-half (0.5) standard deviation larger
than the indicator’s distribution among all states over the two time points. No change denotes no change in rate or a change of less than one-half standard
deviation.
(c) Rates are for state's low-income population, generally those whose household income is less than 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
(d) Income disparity is the difference between the state's low-income and higher-income (generally 400%+ FPL) populations.
(e) Improvement indicates that the low-income rate improved and the disparity between low- and higher-income populations narrowed; worsening indicates
that the low-income rate worsened and the disparity between low- and higher-income populations widened.
(f) Performance data not available for all groups in every state.
(g) State not ranked on health system perfomance for white people in this report; included for comparative purposes.
“—” means data not available.
Most data reported here can also be found in the Commonwealth Fund's online Health System Data Center at
https://www.commonwealthfund.org/datacenter

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