Medicare and Medicaid are both government programs aiming to provide assistance with health care needs, but there are many differences between the two. Medicare is a program that cover all people who are a certain age or who have certain health problems, while Medicaid is more of an assistance program that is only available to individuals in a certain income bracket. The easiest way to differentiate them is by looking at their names. Medicare helps care for those who are older or who have certain health issues, and Medicaid lends aid to individuals who do not have financial means to get health coverage. Now that you can tell the difference between the two, let’s examine some of the key differences between them.
Medicare is a federal program, while Medicare is a state and federal program. What this means is that while the rules that govern Medicare are the same all over the country, the rules for Medicaid differ from state to state. Each state works with the federal government to establish its rules for Medicaid, so coverage varies depending on your location.
Medicare plans still require the coverage holder to pay premiums. Premiums are the monthly cost of the health insurance plan, and while Medicare plans tend to be more affordable than similar plans that aren’t part of the Medicare program, individuals are still required to pay monthly. On the other hand, those who qualify for Medicaid are usually not required to pay monthly for coverage. Sometimes there are cost involved with Medicaid, but they are very minimal.