How To Guide For: Understanding The Difference Between Medicaid & Medicare-- How Do They Work

Medicaid is a jointly funded, Federal-State health insurance program for low-income and disadvantaged people. It covers children, the aged, blind, and/or disabled and other people who are eligible to receive federally assisted income maintenance payments. Medicaid also pays Medicare premiums, deductibles, and co-payments for people who are enrolled in both programs. Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older and certain younger people with disabilities. Medicare benefits are divided into two parts. When you apply for Part A, you can enroll into Part B. This second part covers most doctors' bills, as well as some medical services and supplies. Medicare has four categories the first category is Part A which covers hospitalization, some skilled nursing facility and home health care, and hospice. Part B covers doctors' services and outpatient care such as X-rays, laboratory work, some home health care, physical and occupational therapy, and some preventive screening. Then there's Part C , also known as Medicare Advantage, which is Medicare received through a private managed care system such as an HMO (health maintenance organization) or PPO (preferred provider organization). To get more in depth information on the difference between Medicaid and Medicare and how they work -- click the pictures below to read the articles.