Medicaid Research Overview | Overview |
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Medicaid is health insurance that helps many people who can't afford medical care pay for some or all of their medical bills. Good health is important to everyone. If you can't afford to pay for medical care right now, Medicaid can make it possible for you to get the care that you need so that you can get healthy and stay healthy. Medicaid is available only to people with limited income. You must meet certain requirements in order to be eligible for Medicaid. Medicaid does not pay money to you; instead, it sends payments directly to your health care providers. Depending on your state's rules, you may also be asked to pay a small part of the cost (co payment) for some medical services. (For more information, download "Medicaid At-A-Glance 2005" from the bottom of the page.) To learn about the Medicaid program in your state see Related Links Inside CMS at the bottom of the page. Many groups of people are covered by Medicaid. Even within these groups, though, certain requirements must be met. These may include your age, whether you are pregnant, disabled, blind, or aged; your income and resources (like bank accounts, real property, or other items that can be sold for cash); and whether you are a U.S. citizen or a lawfully admitted immigrant. The rules for counting your income and resources vary from state to state and from group to group. There are special rules for those who live in nursing homes and for disabled children living at home. Your child may be eligible for coverage if he or she is a U.S. citizen or a lawfully admitted immigrant, even if you are not (however, there is a 5-year limit that applies to lawful permanent residents). Eligibility for children is based on the child's status, not the parent's. Also, if someone else's child lives with you, the child may be eligible even if you are not because your income and resources will not count for the child. In general, you should apply for Medicaid if your income is limited and you match one of the descriptions of the Eligibility Groups. (Even if you are not sure whether you qualify, if you or someone in your family needs health care, you should apply for Medicaid and have a qualified caseworker in your state evaluate your situation.) For specific information about enrolling in Medicaid, eligibility, coverage and services for your State, please contact your local Medicaid office. You can view your State's Medicaid Office contact information by visiting the Benefits.gov website (see the link under "Related Links Outside CMS" at the bottom of this page) or checking the contact information for State Medicaid offices (see the link under "Related Links inside CMS" at the bottom of this page.) When Eligibility Starts Coverage may start retroactive to any or all of the three months prior to application, if the individual would have been eligible during the retroactive period. Coverage generally stops at the end of the month in which a person's circumstances change. Most states have additional "state-only" programs to provide medical assistance for specified people with limited incomes and resources who do not qualify for the Medicaid program. No Federal funds are provided for state-only programs. What is Not Covered Medicaid does not provide medical assistance for all people with limited incomes and resources. Even under the broadest provisions of the Federal statute (except for emergency services for certain persons), the Medicaid program does not provide health care services for everyone. You must qualify for Medicaid. Low-income is only one test for Medicaid eligibility; assets and resources are also tested against established thresholds. As noted earlier, categorically needy persons who are eligible for Medicaid may or may not also receive cash assistance from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program or from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. Medically needy persons who would be categorically eligible except for income or assets may become eligible for Medicaid solely because of excessive medical expenses. Source: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services User reviews There are no user reviews for this item. Add new review |
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Am I Eligible?
Generally, you are eligible for Medicare if you or your spouse worked for at least 10 years in Medicare-covered employment and you are 65 years or older and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. If you aren’t yet 65, you might also qualify for coverage if you have a disability or with End-Stage Renal disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant).Here are some simple guidelines. You can get Part A at age 65 without having to pay premiums if: You already get retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board. You are eligible to get Social Security or Railroad benefits but haven't yet filed for them. You or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment. If you are under 65, you can get Part A without having to pay premiums if you have: Received Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for 24 months. End-Stage Renal Disease and meet certain requirements. While you don’t have to pay a premium for Part A if you meet one of those conditions, you must pay for Part B if you want it. The Part B monthly premium in 2008 is $96.40. (Note: The Part B premium may be higher if your income is above a certain amount. For more information, see our FAQ: Medicare Part B Monthly Premiums in 2008. It is deducted from your Social Security, Railroad Retirement, or Civil Service Retirement check. If you don’t get any of the above payments, Medicare sends you a bill for your Part B premium every 3 months.Note: You will be eligible for Medicare when you turn 65 even if you are not eligible for Social Security retirement benefits. For more information, please visit our retirement age FAQ.
Turning 65 and Joining Medicare
Turning 65 and Joining Medicare
What is Medicare?
Medicare is a Health Insurance Program for:People age 65 or older.People under age 65 with certain disabilities.People of all ages with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant). Medicare has Two Parts:Part A (Hospital Insurance) Most people don't have to pay for Part A.Part B (Medical Insurance) Most people pay monthly for Part B.You can choose different ways to get the services covered by Medicare. Depending on where you live, you may have different choices. In most cases, when you first get Medicare, you are in the Original Medicare Plan. You may want to consider a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to add drug coverage. Or, you may want to consider a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO) that provides all your Part A, Part B, and often Part D coverage. You make a choice when you are first eligible for Medicare. Each year you can review your health and prescription needs and switch to a different plan in the fall. As long as you have both Part A and Part B, items covered by Part A and Part B are covered whether you have the Original Medicare Plan, or you belong to a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO). For more information see the Your Medicare Coverage database.Recent Reviews
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