For the analysis, Moody’s examined BCBS’ Health Index. The index assigns U.S. counties a health impact rating, which describes what proportion of the county’s population has reached its optimal health. The rating is based on de-identified data from more than 40 million BCBS members, which considers how more than 200 common health conditions affect commercially insured populations.
Moody’s paired the index with its economic research to understand how certain conditions were associated with communities’ economic well-being. It uncovered a link between healthy communities and economic prosperity: Counties within the top 10 percent of the BCBS Index had a per-capita income $3,700 higher than counties with a median index rating. In addition, healthier populations’ 10-year economic growth rate was 3.5 percent higher than populations with a median index rating.
“The BCBS Health Index shows that health and the economy’s performance go hand in hand,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s. “Policymakers can use the BCBS Health Index to better understand how health outcomes impact economic growth.”
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