A BIG STUMBLING BLOCK to getting a health care reform bill through the Senate (the House of Representatives passed one in May) is Medicaid. Medicaid was enacted in 1965 to replace and beef up state programs to help the indigent get medical care. The only way governors could contain costs was to reduce the reimbursement rates for health care providers, which is what happened. Around one-third of physicians no longer take on new Medicaid patients. Costs soared, while the quality of medical care deteriorated, as more and more providers refused to accept Medicaid patients.

Source: Forbes June 13, 2017 09:56 UTC