A new nationwide study shows Medicaid, the health insurance program for low-income Americans, isn’t just about health coverage. It saves lives. Researchers from the National Bureau of Economic Research tracked 37 million low-income adults who gained access to Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. They found a 21% reduction in the risk of death for those who enrolled.
“We looked at what we thought of as the most pronounced, most grave outcome when you cut health insurance, and that's mortality,” said Bruce Meyer, a professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, who co-authored the study.
In San Diego County, 880,000 people rely on the program known as Medi-Cal in the state.
Meyer said that previous studies focused on smaller, older or sicker groups. This one followed a broad age range from 25 to 59 years old. It found that Medicaid is critical for saving young people's lives.
“A reduction in mortality for someone in their twenties translates to many more life years saved,” he said.
Researchers also found Medicaid is cost-effective, saving lives at about $5.4 million each. Meyers said that’s well below what’s typically spent compared to other public health interventions.
“The cost of saving a life through these other interventions is often set at about $10 million,” Meyers explained.
UC San Diego health economist Todd Gilmer said this study is part of a growing body of evidence showing Medicaid is a lifeline.
“It funds federally qualified health centers, community health centers, rural hospitals, community hospitals. So it's a real important part of our safety net,” Gilmer said.
The U.S. Senate is debating a federal bill that would slash Medicaid funding by more than $800 billion. Meyers warns the cuts could leave millions uninsured.
“That's going to lead to increased deaths,” he said.
The choice isn’t just about balancing budgets, Meyers said.
“You have to decide whether the cost savings are worth the increased mortality, and that's a judgment that Congress is implicitly making,” he said.
Experts say if the cuts go through, the effects will show up in clinics, in ERs, and in the lives of people who could lose access to care proven to save them.
