What is the difference between the Medicaid and Medicare?

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that gives health coverage to some people with limited income and resources. Medicare is federal health insurance for anyone age 65 and older, and some people under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions.

Medicaid

Medicaid cover medical costs for some people with limited income and resources. It is a joint federal and state program. Each state runs its own program but the federal government has general rules that all state Medicaid programs must follow. This means eligibility requirements and benefits can vary from state to state.

Medicaid offers benefits that Medicare doesn’t normally cover, like nursing home care and personal care services. People with Medicaid usually don’t pay anything for covered medical expenses but may owe a small co-payment for some items or services.

Medicare

Medicare is federal health insurance for people 65 or older, and some people under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions. Medicare is run by a federal agency called the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare has set standards for costs and coverage because it is a federal program. This means a person’s Medicare coverage will be the same no matter what state they live in.

Medicare-related bills are paid from two trust funds held by the U.S. Treasury. Different sources (including payroll taxes and funds that Congress authorizes) fund the trust funds. People with Medicare pay part of the costs through things like monthly premiums for medical and drug coverage, deductibles and coinsurance.