Medicaid and Medicare are commonly confused, and they are indeed similar on the surface. Like Medicare, Medicaid is a government funded program that provides assistance for people who require medical treatment. However, Medicaid is funded on a state level, while Medicare is funded by the federal government. Each state has control over its own Medicaid program, and some states even assign them a different name. For example, Murfreesboro and Tennessee residents may recognize Medicaid as TennCare.

Another difference between Medicare and Medicaid is how they are distributed to the population. Instead of being based on age or disability status, Medicaid is issued to citizens based on need. A person’s income and total financial resources are taken into account, and if they fall below a certain threshold, they will be eligible for Medicaid.

Medicaid pays for up to 80% of a patient’s medical expenses, and covers most of the same treatments as Medicare Part A and B. Medicaid also provides coverage for children if they meet the eligibility requirements. They can receive coverage even if their parents are not eligible.

Some patients may be eligible to qualify for Medicare and Medicaid at the same time. These people are known as dual eligibles, and they can receive substantial assistance on their medical bills by being enrolled in both programs.

Medicaid is similar to Medicare in that it is a public health program that provides assistance to patients who require medical treatment. Medicaid is not age-restrictive and is provided to anyone in the country on a needs basis. Eligibility is based on income level and financial resources. Unlike Medicare, Medicaid is financed by state governments. Each state in the U.S. runs its own Medicaid program with assistance from the federal government. Knoxville and Tennessee residents may recognize Medicaid as TennCare.

Medicare and Medicaid sound extremely similar, and in fact their general purpose is almost exactly the same: They are both government sponsored public health programs designed to provide assistance for specific groups of U.S. citizens who require medical treatment. However, Medicaid receives funds from state governments rather than exclusively from the federal government. Because of this, each state controls its own form of Medicaid, and some may even assign a different name for it. For example, Clarksville and Tennessee residents may recognize it as TennCare.

Medicaid is available to low income citizens regardless of their age or disability status. Individuals are assessed according to their monthly or yearly income and their overall financial resources. Also unlike Medicare, children represent a sizeable percentage of Medicaid beneficiaries, and children can be eligible to receive benefits even if their parents are not.

Medicaid has more extensive coverage and benefits than standard Medicare. Most physician/hospital visits are paid for by Medicaid, although patients are typically still responsible for a small co-payment, depending on each individual state’s policy. Prescription drugs are also available for recipients of Medicaid.

Current recipients of Medicaid may still be eligible to receive Medicare and vice versa. It’s important to consult a Clarksville Medicare agent to check your status in order to verify whether you can obtain coverage from both, as each complements the other and can go a long way to reducing medical expenses.

If you’ve heard of Medicare, chances are very good that you’ve also heard of Medicaid. And if you’re a Chattanooga resident or if you live in Tennessee, you may recognize it as TennCare.

Medicaid is similar to Medicare in that it also provides government assistance for health related expenses, but instead of being funded exclusively by the federal government like Medicare, Medicaid is also partially funded (almost 50%) by individual states. That’s why certain states refer to it as a different name.

Medicaid also differs from Medicare in that it is issued to people on a needs basis instead of an age basis. Medicaid eligibility is determined by total income and the total value of a person’s assets. If it is below a certain threshold, he or she is eligible to receive Medicaid.

Some people are actually eligible to receive both Medicaid and Medicare at the same time. They are considered dual eligible, and will usually receive extensive assistance for medical expenses. Additionally, Medicaid may pay for certain drugs that are not covered under Medicare Part D.