Medicare And Medicaid Do Have Their Differences

Nov 4
10:09

2011

Patrick Daniels

Patrick Daniels

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If you have been looking into Medicare and Medicaid you should have noticed there are some differences, starting with qualifications. Medicare requires that a person be at least 65 years of age or older and be receiving disability for the person to be a valid candidate for this type of health care insurance plan. Medicaid is different in that it is based on a person's financial needs as well as the person applying for this type of assistance must be single. Medicaid is only available for either a senior citizen or a child and must fall within the low income bracket.

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If you have been looking into Medicare and Medicaid you should have noticed there are some differences,Medicare And Medicaid Do Have Their Differences Articles starting with qualifications. Medicare requires that a person be at least 65 years of age or older and be receiving disability for the person to be a valid candidate for this type of health care insurance plan. Medicaid is different in that it is based on a person's financial needs as well as the person applying for this type of assistance must be single. Medicaid is only available for either a senior citizen or a child and must fall within the low income bracket.

Benefits have a difference as well. Medicaid, unlike Medicare, will pay for a person in need of long term nursing home care or a similar facility that offers such services. Medicare will cover expenses and services such as hospital treatment and stay time, in addition to short term nursing home care as well as doctor's office visits and usually all other medical expenses that have been incurred by a patient requiring care and generally covers all the stuff that Medicaid doesn't cover.

With Medicare, a person does not have to worry about paying for their assisted living, residential care facilities, and adult foster care. This is because there are no conditions with Medicare. With Medicaid, it is according to the state whether or not, they will pay for assisted living, resident care, and adult foster care.

With Medicare, in order for it to pay for a nursing home, then a person will need to be in the hospital for at least three days and then released to the nursing home. With Medicaid, there is no limit of time for how long a person can stay in a nursing home.

The fourth and final fifth difference between Medicaid and Medicare is medications and home health care. Medicare will only pick up the medications tab of a patient if they are receiving care in a hospital, while Medicaid will not cover any medications. Medicare only pays for a home health nurse to administer medical help while Medicaid not only pays for the assistance of a home health nurse and their duties medically, but will pay for help with daily activities, such as cooking, cleaning and etc.