Study: The Uninsured Are Healthier
They also get less medical care:
Compared with those already enrolled in Medicaid, uninsured adults were less likely to be obese and sedentary and less likely to report a physical, mental, or emotional limitation. They also were less likely to have several chronic conditions. For example, 30.1% (95% CI, 26.8%-33.4%) of uninsured adults had hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or diabetes compared with 38.6% (95% CI, 32.0%-45.3%) of those enrolled in Medicaid (P = 02). However, if they had these conditions, uninsured adults were less likely to be aware of them and less likely to have them controlled. For example, 80.1% (95% CI, 75.2%-85.1%) of the uninsured adults with at least 1 of these 3 conditions had at least 1 uncontrolled condition, compared with 63.4% (95% CI, 53.7%-73.1%) of adults enrolled in Medicaid. (JAMA study)
So what I’m getting from this is that, if you’re healthy and don’t have insurance, you’re likely to be healthier than people at the same level of health but with insurance?
I wonder what correlations are at play here.
So, more consumption of care may mean that you are more aware of minor issues that would be just fine untreated. That’s what I think this means.
The study seems to contradict itself a bit.
I don’t care what the study says. If your uninsured, then your free of the mess our healthcare system is in right now. Obamacare is not going to help things as well.
I am uninsured and healthy. That is a good thing right?
Yes! You better stay that way. It is too easy to end up unhealthy and out of options. Get a health savings account and prepare for the unexpected.
So, what the researchers are saying is that people with little need for medical care and few perceived health risks have lower demand for insurance that protects someone from bad health and health risks.
Well Duh!
I know, this is not rocket science. Another research of the obvious
When you are uninsured, you have to make sure you take good preventative steps to ensure you don’t become sick!
Basically, if you’re healthy, there’s a good chance you don’t care about insurance. If you’re unhealthy, but don’t have any desire to control your elevated health risks (I.e. high cholesterol, hypertension or diabetes), then you also may not desire insurance enough to purchase it.
Here’s another story on that study. It says, “The uninsured were more often white, male, and had graduated from college.”
http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/Medicaid/40036