NEW KANSAS CITY HEALTH SCORECARD IDENTIFIES OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND ADDRESS RISING HEALTHCARE COSTS
Updated: Aug 28
Snapshot of 300,000 commercially insured residents provides the community benchmark for collaboration and healthcare management
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Monday, August 31, 2026) – KC Health Collaborative, a nonprofit organization that aims to transform healthcare delivery and create a healthier future for all residents, today released its 2026 Kansas City Health Stats Scorecard, providing a look into healthcare utilization data, outcomes, and trends in the region from the past two years. The scorecard includes an updated snapshot of healthcare utilization, quality, affordability, and population health among approximately 300,000 commercially insured Kansas City-area residents age 64 and younger.
Based on commercial medical and pharmacy claims from 2022 through 2025, the scorecard is intended to serve as a community benchmark rather than a comprehensive analysis of the Kansas City region. It does not include Medicare or Medicaid populations; instead, it offers a view of trends within a large commercially insured population over time.
Developed in partnership with the Missouri Health Value Collaborative (MHVC), the scorecard helps employers, healthcare providers, policymakers, and community leaders identify opportunities to improve health outcomes and better understand regional healthcare trends.
“This scorecard isn't intended to answer every question about the health of our community, but it provides a common starting point," said KC Health Collaborative Executive Director Dan Cranshaw. "By understanding where we see progress and where opportunities remain, we can bring together employers, healthcare organizations, and community partners to identify practical solutions that improve health outcomes for everyone."
The following trends are uncovered in the report’s findings:
Healthcare spending continues to rise, with estimated total annual spending per person increasing from $6,505 in 2022 to $10,870 in 2025. Pharmacy spending per person grew particularly aggressively during the reporting period.
The percentage of patients with both hypertension and diabetes who had screening kidney tests showed improvement each year from 2022 to 2025.
The number of individuals with estimated annual healthcare spending exceeding $500,000 and $1 million also increased substantially during the reporting period, by 56.7% and 80.9%, respectively. While these individuals represent a very small portion of the insured population, they account for a disproportionate share of healthcare spending, highlighting opportunities to strengthen care management, preventive care, and early intervention for patients with complex health needs.
Preventive screening measures demonstrate opportunities for continued improvement, including breast and cervical cancer screening rates that remained relatively flat or declined slightly over the four-year period.
Nearly 21% of commercially insured individuals had no healthcare claims during the reporting year, while a relatively small percentage of patients accounted for a significant share of healthcare spending. This highlights opportunities to better understand preventive care and care management for patients who have complex medical needs.
“The real value of this report is that it helps us focus our collective efforts," Cranshaw said. "The data points to areas where collaboration can make a difference—from strengthening preventive care and supporting people with chronic conditions to exploring new ways to improve healthcare affordability."
Every community benefits from reliable information about where it’s making progress and where it needs additional attention.
“This scorecard gives our community something valuable: a shared understanding of where we are today. It highlights areas where we've made progress while identifying opportunities to work together across healthcare, business and community organizations to improve outcomes,” said Stephen Salanski, KC Health Collaborative board member and retired family physician “This is the kind of information that helps turn conversations into action."
One emerging area of focus for KC Health Collaborative is the connection between healthcare outcomes and employer-sponsored health benefits.
“The scorecard reflects the experiences of employees, families, and businesses throughout our region,” said Jill Watson, Board Chair and Senior Vice President at SelectQuote. “As employers continue to navigate rising healthcare costs, data like these help identify opportunities to improve preventive care, support employees earlier in their healthcare journey, and create healthier workplaces. Those conversations will be central to KC Health Collaborative’s new business roundtable on health.”
Later this year, KC Health Collaborative will launch its inaugural Business Roundtable on Health, bringing together employers and community leaders to explore strategies that improve health outcomes while addressing rising healthcare costs.
To view KC Health Collaborative’s full scorecard report, visit the 2026 KC Health Stats Scorecard →