Dive Brief:
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A Commonwealth Fund report said that previously uninsured Americans who get coverage through Medicaid have “substantially” better access to healthcare, including preventive services, compared to those who are uninsured.
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Medicaid also “reduces the financial burdens of getting care.” In fact, Medicaid enrollees have nearly equal access to healthcare and more “financial protection” compared to people with private health insurance. The report authors said better “financial protection” for Medicaid enrollees may be related to higher deductibles and copays for private insurance.
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The Commonwealth Fund found that adults on Medicaid had fewer problems paying medical bills than either those with private insurance or the uninsured.
Dive Insight:
These statistics come as more Americans are covered by Medicaid than ever. There are now more than 70 million Americans on Medicaid, including 12 million who are covered through the ACA’s Medicaid expansion. This report answers critics who question whether Medicaid actually improves access to care, quality of care and financial protection.
The report doesn’t answer questions about whether Medicaid improves health outcomes or whether it maintains or improves health status as well as private insurance.
Nevertheless, Medicaid supporters will trumpet the results as Congress discusses healthcare reform and possible Medicaid cuts.
Industry groups recently spoke out about the latest Republican healthcare reform plan, including voicing concern about whether it would adequately fund safety-net programs like Medicaid. The plan includes caps on Medicaid that will likely mean program cuts.