By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    FDA Approves Diabetes Pill
    May 2, 2011
    Patient Gets Drunk on Hand Sanitizer
    June 20, 2011
    Cultivating Health Improvement
    July 20, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Health Reform is a Matter of Life and Death
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform is a Matter of Life and Death
Policy & Law

Health Reform is a Matter of Life and Death

JohnCGoodman
Last updated: October 16, 2012 7:31 am
JohnCGoodman
Share
5 Min Read
cancer survival rates by patients
SHARE

The graph below shows cancer survival rates by patients, depending on their health insurance status. It was posted last Thursday by Sarah Kliff, who says she got it from Zeke Emanuel, the former White House health advisor who helped shape the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare).

The graph below shows cancer survival rates by patients, depending on their health insurance status. It was posted last Thursday by Sarah Kliff, who says she got it from Zeke Emanuel, the former White House health advisor who helped shape the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare).

cancer survival rates by patientsI haven’t seen the study and it may not withstand scrutiny. It seems to contradict the economics literature, which finds that health insurance has very little impact on mortality.  But since it comes from “the other side” so to speak, I am going to take it as valid for present purposes.

What do you conclude by looking at this chart? My answer is below the fold.

More Read

Telehealth
Will Medicare Cover Telehealth?
How to Deal with Intoxicated Patients
Economies of Scale Enable Mumbai-Based Laboratory to Be Market Leader
Churning in ObamaCare
Michael Little Offers Insights on FDA’s 2014 Regulations for LDTs

 We are about to spend $1.8 trillion over the next ten years insuring about 32 million people. About half of the newly insured will go into Medicaid and half will get private insurance. If the above chart is to be believed, which half you’re in makes a real difference.

That tiny little sliver of difference between the green line and the red line is the differential survival between those who are uninsured and those who are in Medicaid. Even after five years, the differential survival is a little more than 1%.

So why are we spending all that money if the impact on health is so small? It gets worse. The actual additions to the Medicaid population will be much greater than the newly insured. Given the opportunity, many people who currently have private coverage will drop their insurance to take advantage of free insurance from Medicaid. In fact, estimates are that 50% or more of people who become newly eligible for Medicaid will drop their private insurance to take advantage of free government coverage.

That implies that for millions of people we are about to spend billions of dollars and may — after all is said and done — leave them worse off than if we had done nothing at all!

There is more bad news. Many of the people who are newly insured with private coverage will be in health plans that are highly subsidized. We don’t really know what these plans will look like. However, if the Massachusetts model is followed, the subsidized private insurance plans will pay doctors and hospitals only a bit more than Medicaid pays. In other words a good part of the increase in private coverage may be nothing more than Medicaid plus.

And here again, given the opportunity to have free private coverage that pays, say, 10% over Medicaid, many people will drop their standard BlueCross coverage to take advantage of the offer. In so doing they will be giving up coverage that promises a greater chance of survival for coverage that reduces those chances.

The upshot is that the Affordable Care Act may actually lower overall health outcomes for the country as a whole!

You have to wonder why ObamaCare is so rigid. Why can’t people who qualify for Medicaid have the opportunity to opt into private coverage instead. For example, the average amount that Medicaid spends on an adult is about $3,000. The average amount spent on a child is $2,000. So why can’t we give the adults a $3,000 voucher and the children a $2,000 voucher and let them apply these amounts to private insurance premiums instead?

  

TAGGED:health insurance
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

FDASIA Health IT Report Issued

April 14, 2014
health journalism
Medical EducationNewsPolicy & Law

Grading Media Coverage: Gary Schwitzer Holds Health Journalists’ Feet to the Fire

March 26, 2013

White House’s Obamacare Support Tweet Attracts Haters

September 6, 2013

Social Media and HIPAA Compliance: What Medical Professionals Should Know

September 1, 2016
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?