Study: Medicaid Expansion Could Cut Down On Uncompensated Care Rates In Hospitals
Researchers found that the number of uninsured patients seeking care at hospitals dropped after Michigan expanded its Medicaid program. This means hospitals are actually getting paid for the services they provide.
Detroit Free Press:
U-M Study: Number Of Uninsured Hospital Patients Drops
The Medicaid expansion in Michigan has resulted in a significant drop in the number of uninsured patients seeking treatment at hospitals, according to a study by University of Michigan researchers that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association today. The report shows that the number of uninsured hospital patients dropped from 26,259 in 2012 to 9,093 in 2014. Meanwhile, the number of hospitalized patients with Medicaid insurance rose from 104,079 in 2012 to 132,991 in 2014. More than 610,000 people signed up for the expanded Medicaid coverage that is primarily paid for through the federal government’s Affordable Care Act. (Gray, 6/21)
Reuters:
Expanded Medicaid May Translate Into Fewer Unpaid Hospital Bills
"What we found is that the overwhelming majority of hospitals experienced a decrease in the proportion of uninsured patients and an increase in Medicaid covered patients," said lead author Dr. Matthew Davis, deputy director of Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor. (Seaman, 6/21)