Monterey, CA More Medi-Cal Recipients A Good Thing For Californians, But Will Put A Strain On Hospitals

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The increased number of Americans eligible for Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California) under President Barack Obama's health care reform act will, over time, dramatically change the health for the better for millions of Americans.  In the short-term, however, it will come with a cost.  A study done at the University of Michigan found that surgery patients on Medicaid/Medi-Cal arrived at the hospital in poor health.  This resulted in more complications from surgery, longer stays and higher costs than those on private insurance or Medicare.  The Medi-Cal/Medicaid patients were twice as likely to smoke and many had diabetes, lung disease and blood vessel blockage which came from years of living in poverty.  Published in the journal of JAMA Surgery, the study analyzed almost 14,000 patients over a one-year period.  The study found that the Medicaid/Medi-Cal patients were twice as likely to die as those who had private insurance. Although these are sad statistics, the medical community is hopeful that once people have been on Medicaid or Medi-Cal for a long period of time, their lifestyle will improve and their odds of making it through surgery will be better.  .

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