subject: Medicare And Medicaid Health Insurance [print this page] Medicare is an insurance program in the United States that specializes in healthcare for the elderly and disabled. Decades ago, President Harry Truman proposed a health insurance scheme run by the government, but it was not successful as they tried to pass it through Congress. The proposal appeared to be a potent lobbying scheme by the American Medical Association. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Medicare program as the amendment to the Social Security Act of 1935 and it officially started in the mid 1960's. The Medicare program is mainly for those residing in the United States who are age 65 years or older or people who are under 65 that have certain types of disabilities.
There are four parts to the Medicare health insurance benefits. The first part is the hospital insurance. It covers inpatient hospital stays for at least one night and a maximum of 100 days. This includes the doctor's fees, food, tests, and a semi-private room. The second part. Part B, is the medical insurance which helps to pay for some of the service expenses that are not included in Part A. In the third part, the beneficiaries are given the option to receive their health plan in the form of private health insurance rather than that of the regular Medicare which is Part A and B. In 2006, the fourth part (Part D) of the Medicare plan was introduced. It is known as the "Prescription Drug Plan." Anybody who has Part A and B of the Medicare plans is qualified for part D. Basically for Part D, you need to enroll in their programs which are called the "Prescription Drug Plan" (PDP) or the "Medicare Advantage plan" with the benefit of prescription drug coverage. Medicaid is another specialized government funded health insurance program for people living in the United States with low income and resources and also those with disabilities. This program helps families that would otherwise not be able to afford medical care. Medicaid is similar to Medicare, but not the same. Unlike Medicare which is a federal program, Medicaid is managed by the state and comes in various forms from state to state. The two coverages are often combined for those that are eligible for both. Many states have their own brand of Medicaid. Some examples of this are places such as Oregon whose Medicaid system is known as the "Oregon Health Plan." Various other states such as California (Medi-cal), Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Florida also have created their own names for their Medicaid systems.
These two programs work together to provide health insurance for people that might otherwise be unable to obtain it. This allows elderly, disabled, and disadvantaged citizens to get the healthcare they need when they need it without having to worry about crippling medical costs that come with treatment. It's a great opportunity for these people to stay healthy with emergency care, access to the doctor's office, and medication to prevent and control illness. Without these programs many of these people would be suffering from illness or possibly even diseased.
by: Casey Trillbar
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