The NYT on the value of Medicaid

Posted July 18, 2011, at 11:39 a.m.
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With Medicaid budgets under close scrutiny in most states, including Maine, a New York Times editorial reflects on a recent randomized study in Oregon showing that people covered by the program not only have improved access to health care services compared to people without any health care coverage but also are actually healthier.

“Those people were also more likely to report being in better physical and mental health. And they were better off financially: less likely to pay out of pocket, have unpaid medical bills sent to collection agencies, or need to borrow money or ignore other bills to pay for medical care.

The critics rightly point out that just because the Medicaid enrollees reported that their health was better does not mean that it actually was better. In the second year, researchers are measuring actual blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar and other physical data.

The study estimated that the additional care the new enrollees got drove up spending (from all sources) on the average individual by about $775, roughly 25 percent, above the $3,200 average for the uninsured control group.”

Those additional short-term costs, the Times argues, will be more than offset by the improved health and productivity of Americans enrolled in Medicaid.

Read the editorial here.

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  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_K4ASVQ7FIRYYBAKHKEZ6L57UDA Some Guy

    “Those additional short-term costs, the Times argues, will be more than offset by the improved health and productivity of Americans enrolled in Medicaid.”   Really?  Productivity of Americans enrolled in Medicaid?  Medicaid is for the unproductive Americans, you know, the ones who won’t work even when there are jobs to be had.  I work in a hospital, the Medicaid people are bums, welfare mothers, drug abusers, drunks, etc…   Soooo what productivity is approved in this group of people?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_TJCHZ7K6TUYVKJHJF4PVBZ3WEQ Tahuaya

    The key here for me is that those on mediaid are less likely to be turned over to collection agencies for unpaid medical bills.  When the uninsured do not pay their medical bills, eventually those costs are transferred to society.  The transfer might be in higher fees or perhaps less medical service but in some way, society will pay.  That is why I’m for national health care and am thankful that Obama had the guts to work on this until it passed Congress.  In time, perhaps the legislation can  be improved but at least we now have something and that is better than nothing.  The fact that now college students can remain on their parents health plan is also a new benefit from Obamacare.  I cannot imagine a parent not appreciating this. We can no longer be denied for pre-existing conditions or dropped because we have too many claims.  Thank you Mr. Obama.  I could go on-and-on but I’ve made my point.  To reasonable people, even those against national health care, there has to be an admission that some of the legislation has good points.  Of course, to those who are just against national health and will not consider some of its points, nothing I write will matter.

  • Anonymous

    “…(Medicaid recipients) were better off financially:  less likely to pay out of pocket, have unpaid medical bills sent to collection agencies, or need to borrow money or ignore other bills to pay for medical care”
    NO KIDDING!  They are not sent bills because those of us who pay taxes pay 100% of the cost!!!

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