Study: Ohio鈥檚 Medicaid expansion has led to better health, more employment
Nearly half of Ohio鈥檚 Medicaid expansion new enrollees reported improvement in their overall health status since enrolling in Medicaid, compared to 3.5 percent who said their health had worsened, according to a released by the state鈥檚 Department of Medicaid. Among other findings, the report said Medicaid expansion has helped new Medicaid enrollees in terms of access to physical and mental health care; health care utilization and reduced emergency department use; detection of unknown or unaddressed prior health conditions (particularly chronic health conditions); security of and opportunities for employmemedicant; lessening of family financial stress; declines in medical debt-holding; and an increase in the ability to pay other non-medical bills. 鈥淭hese results suggest that Medicaid expansion has and will continue to improve the health of low-income Ohioans enrolled in Medicaid expansion,鈥 the study notes. Ohio鈥檚 2014 Medicaid expansion extended health care coverage to more than 700,000 low-income Ohioans as of May 2016.