Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 years or older and younger people with disabilities. Medicare helps contain the health care costs that naturally increase as you get older, so you can stay healthy and protected at every age.
Medicaid is a program funded by both the states and the federal government that provides health care coverage to eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities.
To qualify for income, you generally need to make less than 100-200% of the federal poverty level. You must also meet specific non-financial criteria – generally, you need to be a resident of the state in which you are receiving Medicaid and either be a citizen of the United States or a qualified non-citizen.
Medicare and Medicaid are two different government healthcare programs operated and funded by different parts of the government. They both offer healthcare coverage, but they primarily serve different groups.
Medicare provides health care coverage for those who are 65 and older or under 65 with a disability, no matter what their income is. Medicaid provides health coverage regardless of age or disability if you have a very low income.
Some people are what’s known as dually eligible: eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. If you’re dually eligible, you can have both Medicare and Medicaid. They work together to provide your health coverage and lower your medical costs.
If you’re dually eligible, Medicare is always the first (primary) payer. After Medicare pays its share, Medicaid (the secondary payer) covers the remaining cost for Medicaid covered expenses. Medicaid can help cover the costs of Medicare premiums, copayments, and deductibles as well.
Medicaid covers some expenses Original Medicare doesn’t cover, such as personal care assistance in your home, so getting both Medicare and Medicaid if you qualify is usually a great idea.
At Senior Health Solutions in Opelika, AL, we will help you get the health coverage you need. Knowing the differences between these two programs and if you are eligible for both is crucial in determining what type of plan you should enroll in. You can give us a call at (866) 445-5215 or send an email to info@seniorhealthsol.com to get your coverage started.
We are not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
