Mass. ranks fourth on child healthcare scorecard

Massachusetts ranks first nationwide in healthcare access and quality for children and fourth overall in caring for its youngest citizens, a new report finds.

No state was perfect on the 13-point scorecard developed by the New York-based Commonwealth Fund, but Northeastern and Upper Midwestern states did better on access, quality, costs, equity, and health outcomes than states in the South and Southwest. The equity measure -- on which Massachusetts ranked second -- looked at the quality of care received by children from minority groups or low-income families.

States with the best access to care -- led by Massachusetts -- also placed high on quality of care and equity. Children in the lowest-ranked states were less likely to get vaccines, dental care, or regular check-ups, the report found.

In Massachusetts 75 percent of children went to their dentist or doctor in the past year, compared to 46 percent of children in Idaho. Employer-sponsored health insurance costs $11,435 in Massachusetts, seventh highest behind most expensive Rhode Island, where premiums cost families $11,924 a year.