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What Is Medicaid ?
Medicaid is a joint federal-state funded program in the US to provide long term medical and custodial care to individuals with low income and minimal resource. |
Medicaid also provides medical assistance to categorically needy people such as children below 18 years of age, disabled, blind, low income pregnant women, mentally retarded and elderly persons above 65 years of age
Medicaid was first enacted on 30 July 1965 under the Title XIX of the Social Security Act, and is monitored by Center for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS). At present, it is the largest health care program jointly implemented by the federal and state governments. Federal financial funding is provided to states for coverage of specific mandatory services, and the percentage of funding is based on each state financial condition. The federal share ranges from 50 to 80 percent of Medicaid expenditure.
Though Medicaid is a jointly designed program, federal role in Medicaid is confine only to issuing regulations and overseeing the implementation of the program. State participation in the program is voluntary, but since 1982, all 50 states of the US have chosen to participate in Medicaid. The state that chooses to participate in Medicaid program sets its own guidelines and eligibility criteria, but certain services are mandatory like:
- Hospital care, both inpatient and outpatient
- Nursing home care
- Immunizations and other screening, diagnostic, and treatment services for children
- Family planning
- Physician's services
Statistical and demographic data shows that millions of poor people have benefited from the program. The program has its own weakness like it has little control over the cost of hospitals and quality of services provided to the clients. Despite this, Medicaid represents a historic milestone in the US health care system.
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What Is Medicaid
