About this talk
In America today, over 70 million children, adults, and elderly people are enrolled in the Medicaid program. However, there’s still major disagreement regarding the benefits of the program and whether it’s worth funding at all.
Heidi Allen, social worker turned health policy researcher, has spent the last decade studying Medicaid and exposing some of the persistent myths surrounding the program. As a lead researcher on the most rigorous study of Medicaid to date, known as the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment, Heidi examined causal pathways between Medicaid and patient outcomes, providing a solid ground of evidence to stand on when evaluating the Medicaid program. With Medicaid expansion up for vote in Idaho and Utah this November, it’s as important as ever to understand exactly what the program has to offer for low-income people across the country. Check out Heidi’s 2017 TEDMED Talk to learn the facts and hear her case for Medicaid expansion.
About Heidi Allen
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Heidi Allen is a leading researcher who studies how health and social policies affect the well-being of low-income families. As a clinical practitioner, she saw firsthand the major differences in health outcomes among her patients, which inspired her to focus on using research to inform policy and reduce these health gaps. She was a key investigator in the landmark Oregon Health Insurance Experiment, a large-scale study that was the first of its kind to show the real-world effects of a Medicaid health insurance expansion. Her findings from this and other studies provide crucial evidence for policymakers. Heidi is currently a professor at the Columbia School of Social Work, where she teaches courses on health policy. Her recent work focuses on the effects of different government programs on health, financial stability, and social support for vulnerable populations. She is a dedicated advocate who uses her expertise to show how access to healthcare can have a lasting positive impact on people’s lives.
