Penny is a senior living in a nursing home. Which of the following does Medicaid help Penny pay for?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Medicaid helps Penny pay for long term care because it provides financial assistance for seniors with limited income and resources. Long term care includes services like nursing home care, home health care, and other medical services essential for seniors' well-being. Transportation to and from work is typically covered by other programs like Medicaid transportation services. Acupuncture is not typically covered by Medicaid unless it is part of a specific treatment plan approved by a healthcare provider. COBRA insurance is a continuation of employer-sponsored health insurance and is not directly related to Medicaid coverage for long term care.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) 2021 report highlights multiple benefits of Medicaid Expansion. A: Improvement in payer mix is crucial for healthcare providers as Medicaid Expansion increases the number of insured patients, reducing reliance on uncompensated care. B: Medicaid Expansion leads to increased access to care for adults with mental health conditions, addressing a critical need in healthcare. C: The KFF report shows a significant decrease in all-cause mortality associated with Medicaid Expansion, emphasizing its positive impact on population health. Therefore, a state debating Medicaid Expansion would choose to adopt it for the combined benefits of improved payer mix, increased access to mental health care, and reduced mortality rates.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because federal matching funds for Medicaid are guaranteed to states based on a variable rate determined by the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP). This rate varies depending on the state's per capita income. This funding mechanism ensures that states receive a set percentage of federal funding for their Medicaid programs, which is not guaranteed at a fixed rate (option C) or not guaranteed at all (option A). Option D is incorrect as it suggests that the funds are fixed, which is not the case due to the variable nature of the FMAP.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Health insurance tends to benefit those with serious health conditions the most. This is because researchers look at condition-specific health outcomes to understand how health insurance impacts individuals with specific health conditions. By focusing on condition-specific outcomes, researchers can assess the effectiveness of health insurance in improving health outcomes for those with serious health conditions. This choice aligns with the purpose of the study mentioned in the JAMA article. Explanation of why the other choices are incorrect: A: They are not affected by patient characteristics - This is incorrect because patient characteristics can play a significant role in affecting health outcomes, regardless of the specific health condition being studied. C: It is easy to get data from medical records - This is incorrect because while medical records can provide valuable data for research, the ease of obtaining data is not the primary reason why researchers focus on condition-specific health outcomes. D: It is an equally plausible method for all health conditions - This is incorrect because different health conditions may require different approaches to studying

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. The Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) rate refers to the share of Medicaid expenses paid by the federal government. Non-expansion states have the same FMAP rate as expansion states, as mandated by federal law. This is to ensure that states that did not expand Medicaid still receive the same federal funding support for their Medicaid programs as the expansion states. A: This statement is incorrect because Medicaid income eligibility for parents in non-expansion states varies and is not necessarily set at 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). B: This statement is incorrect because eligibility criteria for adults without dependent children in non-expansion states vary and may differ from state to state. C: This statement is incorrect because the distribution of individuals in the coverage gap varies among non-expansion states, not just limited to Texas and Florida.