Not surprised

What do you know? Maybe our theory is correct about how health care is a good thing. According to the LA Times, 

Even as the Affordable Care Act remains a political flash point, new research shows it is dramatically improving poor patients’ access to medical care in states that have used the law to expand their Medicaid safety net.

After just two years of expanded coverage, patients in expansion states are going to the doctor more frequently and having less trouble paying for it. 

At the same time, the experience in those states suggests better access will ultimately improve patients’ health, as patients get more regular checkups and seek care for chronic illnesses such diabetes and heart disease.

A report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared health and health care data from Kentucky, Arkansas and Texas  Here's the punchline:

 Our study suggests that coverage expansion … can produce substantial benefits for low-income populations.

Medicaid expansion has been a huge success in WV, where it brought coverage to around 175,000 low income people. However, we can expect attacks on it from the Republican legislature, especially as state budget woes increase.