Medicaid Eligibility Requirements and Medicaid Coverage

Medicaid is a joint federal-state program providing medical care services to low-income individuals. Medicaid eligibility requirements is established through the categorically needy and medically needy programs, or as a result of membership in a few special groups recognized by federal law. Categorical eligibility includes families covered by the state welfare program, pregnant women and children under age 6 with family income up to 133 percent of the federal poverty line, children ages 7–19 with family income up to 100 percent of the federal poverty line, and those covered by the federal Supplemental Security Income program, among others. Medically needy programs exist in 34 states and generally cover those whose medical expenses reduce their income sufficiently to make them eligible under the categorical program. Special program eligibility includes low-income Medicare beneficiaries and the working disabled.

While the federal government specifies broad rules with respect to both Medicaid eligibility requirements and covered services, the states have considerable flexibility in deciding where eligibility thresholds are established and how generous the benefit provisions will be. Thus, each state Medicaid program is different. You can see Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS, 2005) for an overview of the program and a brief description of the eligibility and coverage differences across states. The program is paid for by a matching program tied to the relative per capita income in the state, with the federal government providing 50–83 percent of the program costs from general tax revenues.

For all of its complexity, the Medicaid program essentially provides care to four low-income groups of people: children, adults, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly need health insurance. While children are by far the largest group of care recipients and individuals with disabilities are the most costly, the greatest expenditure per recipient is spent on behalf of the elderly because Medicaid coverage is the principal source of coverage for nursing home care.

You are entitled for Medicaid coverage provided by Medicaid if your medical expenses you are extreme high and you can not afford it, you have a disability, and you have very restrained resources or a certain age. Application for Medicaid is simple; you only need to contact the Commission for Social Services in your area. If you live in Washington, you are in contact Human Resources Administration Management. If you are a child or pregnant woman may apply to many medical facilities or medical institutions

When you apply, you need to bring some documents with you. This includes your birth certificate, your bank account (bank statement) status, and proof of current home if you have a job where your pay check is authentic documents, be they citizens or foreigners, and all policies of insurance you may have. In addition, to your insurance card, the important thing is to bring Medicare Benefit Card. It is better to bring along all these documents to avoid making a second visits to complete all.

In the case you are applying Medicaid, it is important not to call of any other insurance you have. Even though you feel you are qualified for Medicaid, please maintain your current insurance. If you already have health insurance but you can not give to make such payment, Medicaid care will pay for it (in many cases). Your insurance premiums can be paid, even if they can be taken into account, if you are unemployed and earn little or no money to live. Medicaid coverage will handle your health insurance coverage, even if you have AIDS.

Medicaid covers a broad range of different health-related and diseases problem. Some of these accounts can pay for doctors and dentists visits, stay home care, nursing homes, laboratory tests, care in psychiatric hospitals. But all are depending on your age and your medications and if you have any drug-related problem. In addition to that, Medicaid coverage is beneficial for family planning services, the conversion to and from medical facilities, any other clinical activities and their treatment during pregnancy is included in Medicaid coverage.