Does Medicaid Make a Difference?

As millions of Americans gain Medicaid coverage under the ACA, attention has focused on the access to care, quality of care, and financial protection that coverage provides. This analysis explores these questions by comparing the experiences of working-age adults with private insurance, Medicaid beneficiaries, and those who are uninsured. The survey findings suggest that Medicaid coverage provides access to care that in most aspects is comparable to private insurance. Adults with Medicaid coverage reported better care experiences on most measures than those who had been uninsured during the year. Medicaid beneficiaries also seem better protected from the cost of illness than are uninsured adults, as well as those with private coverage.