Study finds that Medicaid coverage makes a 'big difference'

The study, considered the first of its kind, was conducted by researchers from MIT, Harvard and the state of Oregon and examined the impact of randomly assigning Medicaid insurance to poor Oregonians as part of the state's expansion of health coverage.

The New York Times: First Study Of Its Kind Shows Benefits Providing Medical Insurance To Poor
When poor people are given medical insurance, they not only find regular doctors and see doctors more often but they also feel better, are less depressed and are better able to maintain financial stability, according to a new, large-scale study that provides the first rigorously controlled assessment of the impact of Medicaid (Kolata, 7/7).

NPR: Medicaid Makes 'Big Difference' In Lives, Study Finds
As high-level budget talks drag on in Washington, the Medicaid program for the poor remains a prime candidate for cuts. In recent months, Republicans have criticized Medicaid for badly serving its target population. But a new study — the first of its kind in nearly four decades — finds that Medicaid is making a bigger impact than even some of its supporters may have realized. ... The study, being published as a working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research, has a distinctly bipartisan flavor (Rovner, 7/7).

The Associated Press: Study: Medicaid Does Make A Difference After All
Signing up for Medicaid could improve your overall health and financial security, says a surprising new study that offers clues on how President Barack Obama's health care overhaul might affect millions of low-income uninsured Americans. The findings run counter to a widespread perception that having a Medicaid card is no better than being uninsured, and maybe even worse (Alonso-Zaldivar, 7/7).

Here's more information from the National Bureau of Economic Research and from MIT on the actual study.