More Evidence on Priceless
Three years after the Massachusetts’ health reform began, a study found the percent of people reporting they could not get needed care from specialists was little changed (7.1% vs. 7.0%). There was also no change in the percentage who said they visited an emergency room for a condition that could have been treated in a physician’s office. Now a new study finds that low income patients have much more difficulty getting access to care:
Compared with the privately insured, a significantly higher proportion of patients with Medicaid or Commonwealth Care Type 1 [subsidized insurance] reported delaying or not getting dental care (42.2 % vs. 27.1 %) or medication (30.0 % vs. 7.0 %) due to cost; those with Medicaid also experienced cost-related barriers to seeing a specialist (14.6 % vs. 3.5 %) or getting recommended tests (15.6 % vs. 5.9 %). HT: Sarah Kliff.
This could be the story across the country in a few years after the ACA fully takes effect.
These numbers will probably get worse over time, and there eventually will be attempts to “reform” the reforms.
Not to worry. The Legislature here in Massachusetts just fixed prices… so pretty soon no one of any income level will have access to any medical care at any price. (Where did you say those doctor and nursing shortages were?)
Hey! That sounds like a great model to spread across the nation! Think of all the people we can get to avoid accessing healthcare!
The CDC claims that low income families tend to avoid preventative measures, even when covered by medicare. The uninsured already enjoyed a culture of just showing up to the ER and expecting subsidized costs. The U.S. already spends more than any other nation in the world, is this really going to change?