Let’s try to stick to the real world when we talk about Medicaid,
Let’s try to stick to the real world when we talk about Medicaid, by Aaron Carroll:
(Note: Paul Krugman cites here. Tyler Cowen responds here. I respond to Cowen’s response here.)
Tyler Cowen had a piece in the NYT this weekend on Medicaid. He doesn’t seem too thrilled with its use in the ACA’s coverage expansion.
… I have to admit that his article set me off a bit. It could be that he didn’t have space in the NYT for more nuance. Perhaps he’ll provide it on his blog. In particular, I’d love him to address some of the points below…
I get a bit annoyed by blanket claims that doctors won’t accept Medicaid….
I get a bit annoyed when people just claim government programs are “unpopular”…
I get a bit annoyed at the blanket acceptance of the awesomeness of the free market in health care, when there is no phenomenal evidence of its success……
Look, I get that people may not like the political implications of those systems. They may not like the governments that produce them. They may not like the lack of choice inherent in such systems. They may not like the potential limitations within them for making money, and therefore for innovation. But we need to stop making stuff up about them.
>>I get a bit annoyed by blanket claims that doctors won’t accept Medicaid<< Your county hospital clinics will probably accept Medicaid — hardly anyone else. I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes by standard blood test on an emergency room visit in Northwestern Hospital for something else — was told Northwestern had just stopped taking Medicaid (except I hope for ER visits). Five months later I got Medicare and was able to go to a Northwestern linked medical group with Medicare and Medicaid. A year or so later that group stopped taking Medicare and Medicaid. A New York Times story stated Medicaid’s fee for a visit to a cardiac specialist at $24. I looked over the shoulder at the computer screen of a rare dentist around my way who will take Medicaid and saw Medicaid paid %145 for a crown! This is like asking doctors to work for free. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/17/nyregion/nyregionspecial4/17clinic.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&position=