New Medicaid patients in Oregon failed to use their benefits effectively because they did not understand how to use insurance or health care, according to a study released Monday in the journal Health Affairs. As a result, researchers told USA TODAY, patients did not receive preventive health screenings, schedule appointments to manage chronic illnesses or use their new insurance coverage for anything beyond medical emergencies. These findings, researchers said, should be considered in future health policy decisions, particularly those related to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion.
