Health Plans: Medicare and Medicaid Beneficiaries

Medicare is a health-care programme. Medical costs are reimbursed through trust funds that persons who are covered have contributed to. It generally supports those over the age of 65, regardless of income, as well as younger handicapped people and dialysis patients. Patients pay a portion of hospital and other costs through deductibles. Non-hospital coverage requires little monthly payments. Medicare is a federally funded programme. It is essentially the same throughout the United States and is managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a federal government entity.

Medicaid is a government assistance programme. It assists low-income persons of all ages. Patients are typically not required to pay any portion of the costs for reimbursed medical bills. Sometimes a little co-payment is required. Medicaid is a federal-state partnership programme. It varies by state.