More Evidence the Affordable Care Act Works

Because we have to get used to this kinda talk in the primaries.

Iowa accepted the Medicaid expansion money from the federal government, sort of. They have a hybrid plan, which isn't as good as traditional Medicaid expansion. Even that was forced upon the Governor, politically.

Here's the good news- things are better than they were because of it. Take these stats:

The number of hospitalized Iowans lacking health insurance dropped by nearly half in the first six months of the year, mainly because the state decided to expand its Medicaid program, hospital leaders said Wednesday.

The Iowa Hospital Association said about 4,445 patients lacking health insurance were hospitalized in Iowa from January through June of 2014. That was a 46 percent decline from the 8,181 uninsured patients hospitalized during the same period in 2013.

What that means in real terms is that the hospital collected more payments than they were a year ago by 46%. So the hospital is better off. It has an even bigger meaning for you the consumer. When those uninsured consumers come into that hospital and receive care, then don't pay the bill afterwards, the hospital does not take a loss on that money. They can't, they still have an operating budget to keep, and that doctor needs to be paid for his work, as do the nurses, janitors, billing agents, and everyone else at work then. So guess who pays for that unpaid bill? Other consumers at the hospital. So by them paying through Medicaid, you're paying a little bit less for other people.

Obamacare works.