Surprise! Health Insurance Improves Lives

A landmark study was published that showed – surprise! – poor people insured with medicaid were more likely to use preventive medical care covered by insurance and more likely to say they feel better. Wow, just like people who aren’t poor! (Sarcasm intended)

Health economists and other researchers said the study was historic and would be cited for years to come, shaping health care debates.

Really? We need a study to tell us that giving people access to health insurance makes a difference in their health and in their lives????

Dr. Baicker interviewed people for Part 2 of the study and was impressed by what she heard.

“Being uninsured is incredibly stressful from a financial perspective, a psychological perspective, a physical perspective,” she said. “It is a huge relief to people not to have to worry about it day in and day out.”

No kidding. What a surprise.

Post Script. This bit in the article caught my eye:

While the findings may seem obvious, health economists and policy makers have long questioned whether it would make any difference to provide health insurance to poor people.

I asked DH, what would possibly make people question whether or not health insurance would make a difference for the poor? He had a one word answer, “Callousness.” I think he’s right.

When are we gonna wake up and understand that providing low-cost health insurance for everyone will make a life better for all of us? Hmm, we could fund it easily today – a transaction tax for the Too Big To Fail investment banks.

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