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WASHINGTON, April 9 (UPI) -- U.S. adults who are on Medicaid have significantly worse health than those covered by an employer or union, a survey indicates.
The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index of about 28,000 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 3 to March 1 found more than 3-in-10 adults on Medicaid were obese, 22 percent were being treated for depression, and 24 percent were being treated for high blood pressure.
The medicaid population is a universally POOR one. (that is in fact the main qualification for medicaid - poverty) - and it is not surprising that on average the health of a poor population is worse than that of a population with some monetary resources.
Lack of "monetary resources" is not even half the story.
I don't buy the argument that poor people have poor health because they lack "monetary resources". Well sure, that has something to do with it, but it stands to reason that the choices they make are the more powerful influence on their health.
Let's take smoking. The poor and the uneducated smoke more than the general population - lots more. And please, let's not pretend they don't know it's unhealthy to smoke. They lack the self-discipline to act on behalf of their own long-term well-being - they live for the moment, and that is why they are poor. (Disclaimer: I know there are exceptions to the previous statement, but I am necessarily painting with a broad brush). So (as a group) they are not going to be very impressed with consequences which may strike them 20 or more years down the road.
The same line of reasoning I have outlined in connection with smoking rates can be applied to other things like dietary practices, exercise, alcohol consumption, and so forth.
Those on Medicaid have transportation that picks them up at their home, drives them to their appointment, even if it is out-of-town and takes them home. I know one couple who has someone come to clean their house more than once a week. All their medicine is free.
Could the correlation simply be that your bad health leads to difficulty working and impoverishment and that impoverishment forces you to go on Medicaid?
its really no different frooral ehalth. the poor take less care often and the results are the same. it can be from weither no money or it can be from spending chocies in modern society as mnay time they are cover for dental when a nonpoverty perosn isn;t by medicaid or toehr low income services.
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Lack of "monetary resources" is not even half the story.
