A new study found states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act experienced better insurance coverage, healthcare usage, diagnosis rates for chronic diseases and quality of care for low-income individuals, according to Medscape.
Annals of Internal Medicine published a study online which compared the changes in outcomes among nonelderly adults with incomes below 138 percent of the federal poverty level in the 26 states that enacted Medicaid expansions in 2014 with outcomes for adults in states that did not expand Medicaid.
Researchers analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey between 2010 and 2014.
Here are five key findings:
1. In expansion states, insurance coverage increased 7.4 percent and Medicaid coverage increased 10.5 percent compared to non-expansion states.
2. Researchers reported rises in adults reporting an overnight hospital stay (2.4 percent), or visit to a physician (6.6 percent) in 2014, compared to states opting to not expand Medicaid.
3. In expansion states, diabetes diagnoses increased 5.2 percent and high cholesterol diagnosis rates were up 5.7 percent.
4. The researchers did not note any improvement in self-reported health status among Medicaid enrollees.
5. One researcher concluded, "It will be critically important to monitor these trends over time so that states can prepare for predicted patterns of utilization who gain Medicaid coverage."
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