Responses to Kaminsky on Obamacare and Medicaid

Ross Kaminsky attacks the Medicaid expansion of health care under Obamacare because it is not free, and because it does not make its recipients healthier. It’s hard to argue with his first point, but his conclusions that the extension of Medicaid coverage to millions of Americans under Obamacare provides no improvement in health to this population is very suspect.

Kaminsky cites the Oregon Health Insurance Initiative, which evaluated health outcomes of Medicaid recipients in Oregon over a two-year period of time, as evidence for the lack of health improvements. To the contrary, despite study limitations, the researchers were able to conclude that the availability of Medicaid to low-income Oregon residents decreased depression, increased the detection of diabetes and treatment, and increased the use of preventive care. Results of other health care outcomes were inconclusive because of study size. Kevin Joseph Cummins, Denver

My first thought to Ross Kaminsky and this column was that he is totally devoid of compassion and humanity. What kind of a society have we become when we cannot or will not take care of our weakest and most vulnerable members?

At the most basic tribal unit, there is a cohesiveness that all members share about taking care of each other as a unit. We as a nation are only a larger extension of that smaller tribe.

When we consider only our own needs either out of selfishness or greed, we lose not only our sense of dignity but also our sense of decency. We will not survive long as a people or a nation without showing kindness, humility, compassion and respect to other people. Louis Pappageorge, Denver