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No state has fallen further than Kansas in America’s Health Rankings. We used to be 8th in 1991.
Why did we slip so far down in the rankings? The answer might surprise you; it’s based on a leadership challenge.
At the Kansas Health Foundation, our bold vision is to make Kansas the healthiest state in the nation and to do so, this movement must be powered by Kansans in positions of authority and influence to shift Health outcomes.
Starting with the launch of the 2025 publication, Leading Health, written by President and CEO of the Kansas Health Foundation, Ed O’Malley, this podcast aims to break down key concepts of this leadership challenge and actionable ways that we can work together to make a real impact on Health in Kansas.
In each episode, Ed O’Malley, and Senior Advisor at Kansas Health Foundation, Susan Kang, will highlight a chapter in the book and discuss with Kansans who are actively engaged in expanding our definition of Health.
Leading Health is an invitation to move the needle on Health in Kansas, and we invite you to join us in leading the way.
Ep03
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[00:00:00]
Ed O'Malley: Welcome back to the third episode of the Leading Health podcast. This is the podcast where the Kansas Health Foundation, specifically my colleague Susan Kang and myself. I'm Ed O'Malley. Walk [00:01:00] through. The book Leading Health, how You and 30,000 Kansans Help Communities Thrive Today. We're on chapter three.
Recap and Personal Reflections
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Ed O'Malley: Susan, you'll tee up chapter three in a little bit, but before we get to that, just how you doing, how are things for you today?
Susan Kang: I'm doing great. It's been a great day already and I really enjoyed. The other two podcasts on the chapters one and two, and I'm excited to embark on this third chapter.
Ed O'Malley: There's a lot going on here at KF. This little podcast has become a favorite little project of mine. It's a new endeavor for KHF and we really hope it's gonna compliment a lot of the other things that are going on, ways we're serving our partners all across the state and helping highlight issues of capital H Health throughout our state.
Susan Kang: I love that. Yeah. Capital H Health, which is what we talked about.
Introducing America's Health Rankings
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Susan Kang: So, so basically chapter three is when we introduce the concept of America's health rankings. So Ed, I'm gonna ask you to talk about some things around that. So, such as like, what, what is it for people who have never heard about what this is, right.
And for the [00:02:00] 30,000 right, that we talked about in our episode. Two. Why it might be important for them to have some familiarity around that and why it's important for Kansas and for KHF. That's a lot of questions.
Ed O'Malley: Yeah, that's a lot of questions. You got that? I
Susan Kang: don't know.
Ed O'Malley: Yeah, I got it.
You got that. All right. We'll nail All right. Got, it'll nail we'll, we'll start going through those and if we miss any of 'em, Susan, just bring us back to it. Awesome. But Let me just tee off one of those questions you mentioned.
The Importance of Health Rankings for Kansas
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Ed O'Malley: Because really what, when I, when I took this job three and a half years ago, one of the things I found myself thinking about before I even took the job was how do we orient more people to capital H Health?
And you know, I'd been at the Kansas Leadership Center for almost 16 years. I had been involved with state government, the state legislature before that, and I had been aware of this slide in health, right? Mm-hmm. So we know, we've mentioned before on this podcast, no state has fallen further in the health rankings than Kansas.
And [00:03:00] when I was. Contemplating taking this job. I was obsessed with how do we, how do we get more people to care I thought the ranking might be the secret sauce. Mm-hmm. It's a really good ranking. Right. So it's done by UnitedHealth, which is the nation's largest insurance company. Mm-hmm. They publish this ranking and it's incredibly thorough, like no ranking is perfect, but this one has over 50 measures that make up the ranking.
Yes. There are some of those measures that are about lower age health. A few.
Susan Kang: Yeah.
Ed O'Malley: But most of the measures are about capital H health. Mm-hmm. They're about things like economic opportunity and food insecurity and bigger kind of topics. Right. The level of volunteerism in a state. Right.
They're, they're big. Right. And I remember feeling that. If we can get people to know about the ranking. And talk about the ranking and think about the [00:04:00] ranking. It'll get more people caring about capital H Health and that's what's happening, I think over the last few years. I think it's kinda working.
Susan Kang: Yeah. I mean, I know we talk about it all the time, right? We, whatever
Ed O'Malley: we constantly,
Susan Kang: yeah.
Yeah. I, you know, and also I think it's helpful for us to always get a reminder of sort of. Why we're using America's Health rankings. You know, it's how, why it's important for us to have something that tells us where we are relative to other states.
Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's some value to that it seems like. Yeah. It
Ed O'Malley: kind of goes back to. You know, like what gets measured gets done. Well, that's kind of true that that's an old, you know, kind of, kind of saying.
Susan Kang: Yeah,
Ed O'Malley: it's kind of true. It's only true though if what gets measured gets focused on. So if we're measuring our health compared to other states, but we never talk about it.
We never focus on it. We never anchor around it, we never have a conversation about it. Our ranking could just keep sliding.
Susan Kang: Right, right. That's a really good point that we do have to focus on that.
Ed O'Malley: Right?
Kansas Health Foundation's Strategic Focus
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Ed O'Malley: Yeah, and, and so what we're trying to do in this [00:05:00] chapter is we're trying to make the case that the 30,000, which again, most of those people.
Don't get paid to work on healthcare. Certainly they, most of them don't wake up every day thinking that health is their thing. Right now, this book and this podcast is trying to make the case that they should, right, capital H Health. But what we're trying to do in this chapter is help the 30,000 realize that.
America's Health Ranking is a really good North star for us. The 30,000?
Like the 30,000 need something they can rally around and when a state has been sliding in something as important as health. For as long as we have been sliding right. We will make the case. We will argue that this thing should be not just a north star for the Kansas Health Foundation.
This should be a North Star for a large number of the [00:06:00] 30,000. And we hope it will become because we're just gonna keep talking about it until, we beat them into submission. Right. About believing this is an appropriate North star for the state. I know it is. You know, it is. And we're gonna dive a little more into.
Why it's such a good North Star and what exactly is in it. So, so Susan, where should we go next?
Susan Kang: Yeah, I'm just following up on the need to focus on. Our downward, slide in our health rankings. I mean, I think you're right, that if we're not focused on it and really doing something around it, the slide will continue to happen, right?
There's no intervention that is happening if we're not focused on it. So, you know, in so what, 30 years ago, 31 years ago, we were eighth in the nation. And then, you know, as of, and the rankings just came out in January We are now 27. So we've been making some steady progress upward, you know, upward in our in our rankings, which is awesome.
Ed O'Malley: And Susan, but [00:07:00] yeah, go ahead real quick. Lemme just dive into that one. So, yeah. So it was 1991.
Susan Kang: Mm-hmm.
Ed O'Malley: And Kansas was ranked number eight. We were the eighth healthiest state in the nation according to America's Health Rankings. And since that time, since 1991, no state has fallen further. Okay. We fell as low as number 31.
And it's a pretty kind of just steady downward trend. Yeah. Yeah. Bottoming out, hopefully bottoming out at number 31. And that was, three and a half, four years ago. Yeah. Right. And that was the moment that the Kansas Health Foundation said, we're gonna anchor around this ranking that.
You know what? We bear some responsibility for that ranking. We're a Kansas Health Foundation. We are a statewide entity focusing on health, and the ranking has slipped all the way from number eight to number 31. And that happened on our watch. Like we're not saying we're fully to blame, but we've got a part of the mess is what we told ourselves.
Right? Three and a half years ago, developed a new [00:08:00] strategic framework. Anchored America's health rankings in that framework, right? The first part of our purpose statement is to help Kansas lead the nation in health, like literally get to number one in that particular ranking. And since we adopted that North star, we've gone as a state from 31st.
The 29th, from 29th, the 28th, and now as of early this year, early 2026, the new ranking came out. The latest ranking came out, and we're now 27th. Now, you and I know we can't claim full credit for that term. I know. Why can't we? Well, but we still will. Maybe. Okay. Everyone. I mean,
Susan Kang: I don't know. I mean, I think we're doing something, at least part of it.
I think
Ed O'Malley: it's an example of what you focus on and talk about. Can happen, but you have to focus on it. You've gotta talk about it. You've gotta be relentless. Right. And we can manifest it, I believe. I really believe that. That's what the book, that's what the podcast is all about. Now you and I know we're not gonna [00:09:00] get from 27th to first without a whole lot more people though.
Right.
Susan Kang: Exactly. Focusing
Ed O'Malley: on. As well. And, and hopefully this chapters are gonna help people know why it matters. And there's a lot in this chapter that people, I think, will enjoy learning about. Like, for example, there's a list of a lot of the different issues that wind up in America's health rankings.
Things like affordable housing literacy, poverty, homelessness, public safety, workplace safety, broadband education, civic engagement. Substance abuse, economic opportunity, like those are all submeasures that make up the big measure of America's health rankings. It's a pretty darn thorough ranking.
Susan Kang: And I think all of those elements go into our notion that health. Capital H health is everything. Yeah, totally. You know, our ability to thrive. We can't do any of that without getting all of those other things, what you just read off. Right. Have us in a really good position relative to all of those metrics.
So then why is it important [00:10:00] for the 30,000 to know about the health makings and, what could they do around it?
The Role of the 30,000 in Improving Health
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Ed O'Malley: Well, I mean, we think there's a lot they can do and the book is gonna really flesh that out, you know, especially part three when we get into like specific mindsets.
We need the 30,000 to hold. But, you know, I think what we, we need the 30,000 understand. And our last episode described like who the 30,000 R Right. And you know why this matters. But they play an outsized role. And the health of the 3 million Kansans, right? Those 30,000 Kansans have so much influence on capital H Health of every single one of the 3 million people of our state.
And we need them to know that and understand that, and we need them to understand that if we have been sliding like we have. One very provocative interpretation of that slide, right, is that the 30,000 haven't been fully doing their [00:11:00] part. You know, I'm not saying it's the only interpretation, right?
Individual people make individual choices, and if people are making bad choices, that's on them. But if we've created the conditions. For, to be hard for them to create healthy choices. Mm-hmm. If we've created the conditions, if the 30,000 have created the conditions where on topics like education or economic opportunity or food insecurity, or workplace safety or homelessness, or early literacy or affordable housing, if we haven't created the conditions.
To help people be able to make healthy choices in those areas, then we got some work to do.
Susan Kang: Yeah. I mean, but there might be people who are part of the 30,000 who don't know that they're part of this. Right, right. Part of that, that maybe they played a role in this slide. Right. Which
Ed O'Malley: is why they need to read the book.
Right.
Susan Kang: Okay. I love it. Okay. Yeah, but you know, so like, what, what can we invite them to these movers and shakers? Like, you know, what can we invite them to do to have them [00:12:00] understand the importance of their role, their outsized role, right. Yeah. In moving our health ranking upward.
Ed O'Malley: I think it's, first of all, we just need them.
To know about this ranking, and we need them to talk about it and think about it. Mm. Okay. And I understand that. Look, it anchors our strategic framework, and everybody listening to this or everybody reading the book isn't going to change, their organization's strategic framework to anchor around the health rankings.
Uhhuh, I get that. Okay. Now I would highly suggest that. Health oriented organizations, organizations that have health in their name, for example. Mm-hmm. And you're in Kansas. Now's the time to get on board and find the way you can anchor to this as well. But for the overall, for the 30,000, like this chapter's about them knowing about the ranking and understanding, it's a trustworthy ranking.
I mean, it's done. Think about it this way, Susan. The [00:13:00] ranking is produced by an insurance company. Okay. I love that it's produced by a private sector company. I love that. And the reason I love it is because that insurance company is incentivized to get the ranking right.
Susan Kang: Mm-hmm. Right? Mm-hmm. Like if,
Ed O'Malley: communities are healthier from an insurance company standpoint.
They're gonna spend less money. Right.
Susan Kang: They're better off.
Ed O'Malley: They're, yeah. The company literally is gonna spend less money on health claims. Right. Healthcare claims. Right. Lower age health claims, things like that. Mm-hmm. So this ranking is good. The logic behind it is solid, and this chapter is inviting the 30,000 to understand it and to at least consider.
Caring about where Kansas falls on that ranking.
Susan Kang: Yeah. I also like that it's published in conjunction with American Public Health Association as well.
Ed O'Malley: Yeah.
Susan Kang: So I think, that's also really helpful to know.
Ed O'Malley: I love that. Right. So there are some people listening to this who love the private sector connection.
Mm-hmm. And there are other people listening to this who love the fact that. It's also connected though [00:14:00] to American Public Health Association. Yeah. It's a great partnership.
Susan Kang: Yeah.
I agree. So Ed, we've heard a lot about the rankings and why it matters.
Economic Implications of Health Rankings
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Susan Kang: So I'm curious to know for especially our listeners out there who are maybe from the corporate sector, like why is that important for them? Why should they care?
Ed O'Malley: Look, I don't know how we grow our economy. I don't know how we create a stronger business climate if the health of our state continues to decline.
Mm-hmm. And no. Now, we said earlier this episode that, you know, maybe we've started to turn the corner. We were as low as 31st. Now we're 27th. But if that's not the case, if a actually we just have a little blip in the right direction and we start declining again. Yeah. That is not good for business. It's not good for the corporate sector.
It's not good for the private sector, and we need healthy people. Like we need, like imagine a sports team that doesn't have healthy people. He healthy players. Yeah. They're not gonna perform well on game day. Right. You [00:15:00] know it, the same is true with our private sector friends. They need a healthy workforce.
And a healthy workforce will help. Their company Thrive and Grow, help our private sector in Kansas thrive and grow, which we desperately need. Yeah, right. All these things are interrelated, the challenge that we're playing with in the book is if we need health to be something that. People care about who aren't just people who have health in the name of their organization or their title.
Susan Kang: Mm-hmm.
Ed O'Malley: Mm-hmm. Like we need the private sector to think about what. Role do they play? We need the government sector to think about what role do they play. We need the grassroots sector. We need all these different sectors thinking about what their piece of this is. And as the book goes on, we're gonna make that case more and more clearly.
But we need to rally as [00:16:00] Kansans around this North Star. We're actually asserting in the book Susan that this shouldn't just be a north star for the Kansas Health Foundation. We're asserting that this is a great North Star for the 30,000 that we need something to rally around. Yeah, that this makes sense and we're asking people to get on board. we also this year published what we're calling the economic case. For health. So this connects to why this matters so much to people in the private sector. People who are responsible for employees mm-hmm. And productivity and p and l statements and things like that.
You know, we've known for a long time that your economic status is the biggest driver of your health. That's not new. We've known that for a long time. But what we did this year is our team. Compiled a body of research that, in essence showed that the reverse is also true. Okay? So the economic case for health report, which we'll put a link to in the show notes, but people there will [00:17:00] see that.
What we found is that when a, when a person is healthier. They capital H Health, right. When a person is capital H health healthier, they produce more economically, like they make more money, they have more financial security. That kinda makes sense, right? Yeah.
Because if you're sick, it's hard to make money, so on and so, and so forth. Exactly. Mm-hmm. But what the research also showed is that a, a workforce like a company, if, if their workforce is healthier, that. Company does better economically. Like they're, they're a stronger company from a p and l type standpoint.
And it also showed, this research showed that a community, a nation, the healthier their people are, the better the GDP Gross Dome domestic product is. So the relationship is a powerful one. So yes, [00:18:00] we all need to care about health. It affects. Everything we're doing, it's not only economics isn't only a driver of health, but health is a driver of economics and we've gotta grow the Kansas economy.
So lots of reasons for people to care about this health ranking.
Susan Kang: I love all the different, you know, the over 50 submeasures that measures, you know, all the different sort of the social determinants of health, right? Beyond healthcare. I love all of those things. And now I'm hearing. How the corp, you know, the sort, not only our public health sector or our public sector, but also the corporate sectors and why it should matter to them and why it would be helpful.
Right. Especially with relative to the the health of the workforce and, and what it might mean for the bottom line. Right.
Call to Action and Conclusion
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Susan Kang: So I mean, I think those are excellent points to be made As we think about ending this episode one of the things that I invite our listeners to do is to actually take a look at the America's Health rankings and the Kansas State Summary. The link appears in the show [00:19:00] notes.
Ed O'Malley: Susan? Two things on my mind but in terms of what I'd love listeners to, to be thinking about, one of 'em is I just want those of you out there who are thinking to yourself. Yeah. But like. Susan, ed, I hear you. But what about the people who are lazy, making crummy choices, not getting regular checkups, so on and so forth.
I just want those people to know, number one, hey, we get you, and we're not excusing bad behavior and people need to make healthy choices. But we need a level playing field. And I think throughout this podcast series, just like throughout the book, readers or listeners will hear us saying that over and over again, we're not excusing bad behavior.
People have to make healthy choices, and we need a level playing field. And that's really what we're talking about. So that's the one thing on my mind. The second thing on my mind is. I just want listeners to think about the power of enough of us thinking about that ranking. Like how do we know if we're winning or losing in Kansas?
Hmm. Like how, how do we know? How do we know [00:20:00] it was 2025 a good year for Kansas or a bad year? Is Kansas better today than it was in 2015? How, how do we know?
Susan Kang: Mm-hmm.
Ed O'Malley: And I know that there is power in people anchoring around a common definition of are we winning or losing? Mm-hmm. I'm a competitive person.
I wanna beat these other states, new Hampshire's, number one, down with New Hampshire. Let's climb the rankings. I just would love more people listening to this to be thinking about the power of enough of us. Orienting to that ranking. Talking about it, thinking about it, asking about it, pushing towards it.
I know when that happens, we'll climb the ranking and we'll kick New Hampshire's butt.
Susan Kang: I absolutely love your enthusiasm, and I'm sure the listeners can tell how, we're really excited about this and we're energized around getting to. Number one in the nation. Right? And so I just wanna say thank you so much for listening and we look forward to seeing you for the next [00:21:00] episode when we discuss chapter four, which goes into where we are as a state in terms of our health ranking.