| Medicaid is the US health insurance
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| | eligibility rules are somewhat different
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| program for individuals and families with
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| | in every state, although the framework is
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| low incomes and resources. It is jointly
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| | the same throughout the country.
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| funded by the states and federal
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| | Both the federal government and most
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| government, and is managed by the states.
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| | state governments have made many changes
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| Among the groups of people served by
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| | to the eligibility requirements and
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| Medicaid are eligible low-income parents,
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| | restrictions over the years. This has
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| children, seniors, and people with
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| | most recently occurred with the passage
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| disabilities. Medicaid is the largest
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| | of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of
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| source of funding for medical and
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| | 2005 (Pub.L. No. 109-171) which
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| health-related services for people with
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| | significantly changed rules governing the
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| limited income.
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| | treatment of asset transfers and homes of
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| History and participation
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| | nursing home residents. The
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| Medicaid was created on July 30, 1965
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| | implementation of these changes will
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| through Title XIX of the Social Security
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| | proceed state-by-state over the next few
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| Act. Each state administers its own
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| | years. To be certain of your rights under
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| Medicaid program while the federal
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| | the Act you should consult an expert, as
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| Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
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| | the rules are complex. The DRA now
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| Services (CMS) monitors the state-run
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| | requires that anyone seeking Medicaid
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| programs and establishes requirements for
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| | must produce documents to prove that they
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| service delivery, quality, funding, and
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| | are a United States citizen or resident
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| eligibility standards.
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| | alien.
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| Each state may have their own names for
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| | Budget
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| the program. Examples include "Medi-Cal"
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| | Unlike Medicare, which is totally
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| in California, "MassHealth" in
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| | federal, Medicaid is a joint
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| Massachusetts, and "TennCare" in
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| | federal-state program. Each state
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| Tennessee. States may bundle together the
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| | operates its own Medicaid system, but
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| administration of Medicaid with other
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| | this system must conform to federal
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| separate programs such as the State
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| | guidelines in order for the state to
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| Children's Health Insurance Program
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| | receive matches and grants. The federal
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| (SCHIP), so the same organization that
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| | matching formula is different from state
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| handles Medicaid in a state may also
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| | to state, depending on each state's
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| manage those additional programs.
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| | poverty level. The wealthiest states only
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| Separate programs may also exist in some
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| | receive a federal match of 50% while
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| localities that are funded by the states
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| | poorer states receive a larger match.
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| or their political subdivisions to
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| | Medicaid funding has become a major
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| provide health coverage for indigents and
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| | budgetary issue for many states over the
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| minors.
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| | last few years, with the program, on
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| State participation in Medicaid is
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| | average, taking up a quarter of each
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| voluntary; however, all states have
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| | state's budget. According to CMS, the
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| participated since 1982 when Arizona
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| | Medicaid program provided health care
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| formed its AHCCCS program. In some states
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| | services to more than 46.0 million people
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| Medicaid is subcontracted to private
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| | in 2001. In 2002, Medicaid enrollees
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| health insurance companies, while other
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| | numbered 39.9 million Americans, the
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| states pay providers (i.e., doctors,
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| | largest group being children (18.4
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| clinics and hospitals) directly to ensure
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| | million or 46 percent). It is estimated
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| that individuals receive proper medical
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| | that 42.9 million Americans will be
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| attention.
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| | enrolled in 2004 with (19.7 million of
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| Comparisons with Medicare
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| | them children). Medicaid payments assist
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| Although their names are similar,
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| | nearly 60 percent of all nursing home
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| Medicaid and Medicare are very different
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| | residents and about 37 percent of all
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| programs. Medicare is an entitlement
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| | childbirths in the United States.
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| program funded entirely at the federal
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| | Medicaid is also the program that
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| level. It focuses primarily on the older
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| | provides the largest portion of federal
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| population. As stated in the CMS
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| | money spent for health care on people
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| website,[2] Medicare is a health
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| | living with HIV. Typically, poor people
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| insurance program for people age 65 or
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| | who are HIV positive must progress to
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| older, people under age 65 with certain
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| | AIDS before they can qualify under the
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| disabilities, and people of all ages with
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| | "disabled" category. More than half of
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| end stage renal disease.
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| | people living with AIDS are estimated to
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| Medicaid is also an entitlement program,
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| | receive Medicaid payments. Two other
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| but it is not solely funded at the
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| | programs that provide financial
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| federal level. States provide up to half
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| | assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS
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| of the funding for the Medicaid program.
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| | are the Social Security Disability
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| In some states, counties also contribute
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| | Insurance (SSDI) and the Supplemental
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| funds. The main criterion for Medicaid
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| | Security Income.
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| eligibility is limited income and
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| | Financial advisors typically advise
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| financial resources, a criterion which
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| | retirees and other individuals facing
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| plays no role in determining Medicare
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| | high health costs to adopt strategies
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| coverage. Medicaid covers a wider range
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| | that will protect their financial assets
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| of health care services than Medicare. In
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| | in the event of large medical bills. Many
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| 2001, about 6.5 million Americans were
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| | programs do not consider the value of
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| enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid,
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| | one's home in calculating eligibility,
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| also known as Medicare dual eligible.
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| | therefore it is often recommended that
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| Eligibility
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| | retirees pursue home ownership. By
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| Medicaid is a joint federal-state program
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| | adopting the recommended strategies,
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| that provides health insurance coverage
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| | seniors hope they will quickly qualify
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| to low-income children, seniors and
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| | for Medicaid benefits if the need for
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| people with disabilities. While Congress
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| | long-term care arises. A person should
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| and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
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| | seek advice from a qualified expert who
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| Services set out the main rules under
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| | is familiar with Medicaid rules and
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| which Medicaid operates, each state runs
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| | financial planning.
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| its own program. As a result, the
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