Help Medicaid by Tackling Homelessness – Bloomberg

In a growing number of states, Medicaid directors have come to believe they could save money by housing the homeless. The federal government is providing money to find out if they’re right. There’s good reason to think this is an experiment worth trying.The idea arose from two developments. First, Obamacare’s drastic expansion of eligibility for Medicaid coverage has raised the number of homeless people who sign up. These beneficiaries often suffer from unmanaged illnesses, which lead to higher health-care costs and put a strain on Medicaid budgets.Second, in recent years, policy makers have come to better understand how the way people live affects their medical needs. Research has shown that people’s health improves when they have jobs, stable housing and access to healthy food. Governments now want to use this new appreciation for the so-called social determinants of health to improve policy.Last year, the federal agency that …
Go to Source