A Medicaid Challenge: Poor Health, But A Drive To Improve

WASHINGTON — It’s one of Medicaid’s challenges. While low-income people are more likely to struggle with health problems such as smoking and depression, new research shows many are motivated to improve. Thursday’s study from the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index found that 40 percent of people on Medicaid say they’re in fair or poor health, compared with 11 percent of those with workplace coverage. The analysis for The Associated Press also showed that Medicaid recipients are invested in their health, with 4 out of 5 saying they have a personal doctor, 3 out of 5 saying they eat healthy, and nearly half saying they exercise frequently. Medicaid could gain by putting more emphasis on prevention, and stressing better coordination of care, experts say.