Our comprehensive review and meta- analysis of these experiments find suggestive evidence of health benefits associated with investments in early life , income support , and health insurance interventions .
Housing and neighborhood trials had no effect on the outcomes included in the meta-analyses .
A positive effect of the trial on its primary socioeconomic outcome was associated with higher odds of reporting health improvements .
Early life , income , and health insurance interventions have the potential to improve health .
Policy Points Social policies might not only improve economic well-being , but also health .
Health policy experts have therefore advocated for investments in social policies both to improve population health and potentially reduce health system costs .
Since the 1960s , a large number of social policies have been experimentally evaluated in the United States .
Some of these experiments include health outcomes , providing a unique opportunity to inform evidence -based policymaking .
CONTEXT Insurers and health care providers are investing heavily in nonmedical social interventions in an effort to improve health and potentially reduce health care costs .
The Oregon experiment--effects of Medicaid on clinical outcomes.
BACKGROUND Despite the imminent expansion of Medicaid coverage for low-income adults , the effects of exp and ing coverage are unclear . The 2008 Medicaid expansion in Oregon based on lottery drawings from a waiting list provided an opportunity to evaluate these effects . METHODS Approximately 2 years after the lottery , we obtained data from 6387 adults who were r and omly selected to be able to apply for Medicaid coverage and 5842 adults who were not selected . Measures included blood-pressure , cholesterol , and glycated hemoglobin levels ; screening for depression ; medication inventories ; and self-reported diagnoses , health status , health care utilization , and out-of-pocket spending for such services . We used the r and om assignment in the lottery to calculate the effect of Medicaid coverage . RESULTS We found no significant effect of Medicaid coverage on the prevalence or diagnosis of hypertension or high cholesterol levels or on the use of medication for these conditions . Medicaid coverage significantly increased the probability of a diagnosis of diabetes and the use of diabetes medication , but we observed no significant effect on average glycated hemoglobin levels or on the percentage of participants with levels of 6.5 % or higher . Medicaid coverage decreased the probability of a positive screening for depression ( -9.15 percentage points ; 95 % confidence interval , -16.70 to -1.60 ; P=0.02 ) , increased the use of many preventive services , and nearly eliminated catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenditures . CONCLUSIONS This r and omized , controlled study showed that Medicaid coverage generated no significant improvements in measured physical health outcomes in the first 2 years , but it did increase use of health care services , raise rates of diabetes detection and management , lower rates of depression , and reduce financial strain
Our comprehensive review and meta- analysis of these experiments find suggestive evidence of health benefits associated with investments in early life , income support , and health insurance interventions .
Housing and neighborhood trials had no effect on the outcomes included in the meta-analyses .
A positive effect of the trial on its primary socioeconomic outcome was associated with higher odds of reporting health improvements .
Early life , income , and health insurance interventions have the potential to improve health .
Policy Points Social policies might not only improve economic well-being , but also health .
Health policy experts have therefore advocated for investments in social policies both to improve population health and potentially reduce health system costs .
Since the 1960s , a large number of social policies have been experimentally evaluated in the United States .
Some of these experiments include health outcomes , providing a unique opportunity to inform evidence -based policymaking .
CONTEXT Insurers and health care providers are investing heavily in nonmedical social interventions in an effort to improve health and potentially reduce health care costs .