Medicaid Services
The topic of discussion revolves around Medicaid expansion and its impact on healthcare access for low-income individuals and the general population. According to Nelson’s article in 2020, there is evidence suggesting that states without Medicaid expansion face challenges in emergency responses and access to hospitals that provide urgent care. This situation endangers the lives of millions of people and can lead to health issues due to limited healthcare access.
A study spanning ten years reveals that Medicaid services can enhance healthcare access. By December 2017, 19 states had not implemented Medicaid expansion (Nelson, 2020). This decision resulted in an insufficient healthcare infrastructure and the closure of various medical facilities. The closure of safety-net hospitals puts individuals with limited insurance coverage at risk of health complications and even death. This impacts low-income families negatively (Mazurenko et al., 2018). To prevent detrimental health consequences due to inadequate healthcare access, it is the responsibility of states and the government to establish effective measures.
Nelson (2020) highlights that the research primarily focused on low-income populations as they are the main beneficiaries of the Medicaid program. The article demonstrates that states that adopted Medicaid expansion had a 0.06 higher rate of access to medical care. Further research is needed to encourage non-expansion states to adopt this healthcare program. Such studies can predict future health outcomes across different states. Those involved in the healthcare sector should advocate for Medicaid expansion to ensure that every American receives necessary medical services (Mazurenko et al., 2018). Excluding low-income and underinsured individuals would result in healthcare inequality and also affect other areas within the state and federal government.
References:
Mazurenko, O., Balio, C. P., Agarwal, R., Carroll, A. E., & Menachemi, N. (2018). Effects of Medicaid expansion under the ACA: A systematic review. Health Affairs, 37(6), 944-950.
Nelson, H. (2020). Medicaid Expansion Improves Access to Care, Population Health. Xtelligent Healthcare Media. Retrieved from [source link]
