Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Guest Column:

Nevada on healthy trajectory

Nevada is headed in the right direction when it comes to health care. Recent changes to the state’s Medicaid program are helping to counter economic patterns that have been disproportionately affecting rural Nevadans and minorities, including our large and vibrant Hispanic community.

Harder hit by the economic downturn and with fewer job opportunities in general, these citizens were often locked out of the health care system by insurance costs. Now Medicaid is helping over 200,000 more of them get the care they need.

Medicaid is the largest health insurance program in the United States, currently covering about 20 million Americans, 31 percent of whom are Hispanic. Despite common associations with the unemployed, Medicaid is, in fact, a vital resource for working families. More than three in four Nevada Medicaid beneficiaries, children and adults alike, come from families with at least one worker. But they would lack health care coverage without this program.

The Hispanic community is well aware of this challenge. Many of our most dedicated people rely on jobs in retail, construction, fast food and other sectors where employment is not usually accompanied by a benefits package. Hard work at hourly wages is often insufficient to pay a private health plan premium — at least if one also wants to make the rent and put food on the table.

Prior to Medicaid improvements, more than one in three Hispanics did not have health insurance, making them half as likely as whites to enjoy essential coverage. Not having access to a health plan was among the reasons why Hispanics consistently made lower-than-average use of medical services and why our community struggles with hypertension, heart disease and other illnesses.

Upgrades to Nevada’s Medicaid program have made significant inroads, especially for our children. Our state experienced the nation’s largest drop in uninsured kids. Just as important, we made more eligible adults aware of the availability of free or low-cost insurance, and as they enrolled, they signed up their children too. The health, well-being and financial security of entire families has improved.

This bodes well for the future. Medicaid is associated with many lifelong benefits for those who rely on it in childhood. Kids who get health care through Medicaid don’t wind up in the emergency room or the hospital as often. Without untreated medical problems to battle — whether ADHD or a toothache — they perform better academically. They are later more likely to graduate from high school, go to college and get a good job than their once-uninsured peers.

That’s not to overlook the benefits Medicaid is already delivering. Families do better when they have access to health care. Healthy parents can focus on their children, not their medical issues. They can also remain well enough to stay gainfully employed.

Is there more work to do? Absolutely. Hispanic families still trail in health care coverage rates and use of medical services. We need to continue the outreach and continue the advocacy.

But we can now do so knowing how far Nevada has come by growing and improving Medicaid.

Fernando Romero is president of Hispanics and Politics.

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