Equity of the Medicaid program to the poor versus taxpayers.
The last 15 years have witnessed explosive growth in State Medicaid programs. This article demonstrates the equalizing impacts of greater spending and recent Federal mandates on the health care coverage of the poor. Large inequalities in generosity still remain, however. Inequalities in taxpayer burdens are also documented, and simulations of alternative Federal sharing algorithms show significant changes that would be required to achieve a more equitable distribution of the program's financial burden.
Cromwell
J
J
Center for Health Economics Research, Waltham, MA 02154, USA.
Adamache
K W
KW
Ammering
C
C
Bartosch
W J
WJ
Boulis
A
A
D000385:Aid to Families with Dependent Children; D003625:Data Collection; D004608:Eligibility Determination; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D007183:Income Tax / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D008484:Medicaid / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D011203:Poverty; D012935:Social Justice; D013221:State Health Plans / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States