Who has a better healthcare system: Maine or New Hampshire... (Salem: health insurance, schools)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Currently living in CT. I am thinking of moving to NH. I love New Hampshire for it's outdoor possibilities, proximity to 3 other States, low taxes, milder winters than ME in NH, family lives in NH, and proximity to Salem MA. Curious who do you think has a better healthcare system. I have heard Exeter Hospital is a great hospital, but heard Portland is a better hub of healthcare facilities.
Which State you believe has better healthcare options Maine or New Hampshire?
It depends on which parts of the states you're in. Southern NH, and the parts of Maine near Portland, Lewiston, and Bangor have larger hospitals with fairly extensive services. Southern NH is also close to Boston for other services. Further north in both states the hospitals are smaller and more limited.
Having lived in both states, I'd also say Maine has milder winters particularly along its coast.
The question may be much more complicated then you think.
Many of the hospitals are for profit businesses. Some are not for profit hospitals. Each will have a reputation for services. Some patients will swear that they obtained the best possible service while others will provide disastrous stories. Some hospitals are "cleaner" then others.
Some will state that hospitals that are directly related to medical schools are best. Such as Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital (Dartmouth College) in Lebanon, NH or Mass General Hospital (Harvard University) in Boston.
Many of the hospitals contract out to private for profit businesses. The Emergency Room is owned by one company, the laboratory is owned by another company, billing by another company, laundry services owned by another company, cleaning services by another company, and on and on.
Some hospitals have a poor record for infections.
Do you really want to spend a night in a hospital that has put out to bid the cleaning services to the lowest bidder?
This is, unfortunately, an unanswerable question. To start, there are no universally accepted definitions of "better" in health care. Does it mean better bedside manner? Better outcomes? Better for what kind of patients? Routine care? Specialty care? Emergency care access? How far are you willing to travel for care?
So you can see that this is a personal, and local, question. The answer will vary by person - a family with young children will have different needs than retirees with chronic conditions - and by location.
In general, health care will follow the demand, so local needs will be met. The challenge is in some kinds of specialty care, which can be distant from more remote areas.
This may be true in many of the larger western states, but here in New England, insurance coverage may cover more than one state--it really depends on the provider. My husband is employed in NH, but our insurance covers our regular doctors here in NH, but also several of the major Boston hospitals (Mass General, etc). We have family in Maine that also travels to Boston for any major health concerns. You'll definitely want to check out the plan and lists of health providers/facilities within network.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdhpa
Do health insurance policies in either Maine or NH cover non-emergency care in Boston? I thought health insurance was generally within a state.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
