Welcome To Medicaid Information

Medicaid was created to help people that are in need of medical assistance but for financial reasons can not afford to pay for medical care.

Needing medical care but not being able to afford it can be a helpless feeling. You need to visit a doctor but you know that you can't afford to pay the bill. That is when Medicaid can help you.

Where do you start? First, you need to know if you are eligible for Medicaid. Next you will need to know how to apply for Medicaid. Finally, you will need to know what health care coverage Medicaid can provide.

Additional common questions include Medicaid annuities, Medicaid benefits, Medicaid dental coverage, Medicaid prescription drugs, Medicaid eligibility, State Medicaid programs, and how Medicaid differs from Medicare. The Medicaid articles on the upper left hand side of this site provide additional information and links.

Feel free to explore the links and Medicaid information that we have provided to help you determine if you are eligible for Medicaid and which aspects of the Medicaid program will benefit you the most.

Remember that Mediciad is a different program than Medicare. If you want to learn more about the Medicare program please visit the Medicare Information site.

What is Medicaid? 

Medicaid is the United States heath benefit program that helps provide for individuals and families with low incomes and limited financial resources. Medicaid is essentially an entitlement program where the costs are shared by the states and the federal government, and the local  Medicaid programs are managed by the states.

Among the people that benefit from Medicaid are eligible low-income parents, children, elderly seniors, and people with chronic disabilities. You need to remember that having a low income does not necessarily qualify you for Medicaid.

The Medicaid program is run by the individual states and each state has their own requirements for eligibility and Medicaid application process.

Medicaid is the single largest source of funding for medical and health service for people with limited financial resources.

Do You Qualify For Medicaid?

You can only get Medicaid if you have limited income. Your eligibility for Medicaid can vary depending on which state you live in. Basically, there are about 25 different categories of Medicaid eligibility. These can be grouped into 5 general coverages that include people over the age of 65, children, pregnant women that have children, adults with dependent children, and people that are disabled.

While Medicaid eligiblity does vary by state, there are mandatory groups of people that do qualify no matter where they live. These mandatory groups include low income families with dependent children, and women that are pregnant and have children and are below the federal poverty level. Also, beneficiaries of Medicare that have low income may also qualify.

If your income is low and you need medical care, you should apply for Medicaid and have a qualified Medicaid caseworker in your state take a look at your situation. In addition to mandatory coverage the states offer optional Medicaid coverage.

How To  Apply For Medicaid

The Medicaid application process varies by each state. In most cases, you will need to contact your local state Department of Social Services or Human Services office. Each state may have a different name for the state agency that handles Medicaid. Essentially, it will be the agency that helps provide financial assistance and food stamps.

The four states that have the largest number of people enrolled in Medicaid are California, New York, Texas, and Florida. Like we outlined, each state may have a different name for Medicaid and different agencies that manage the Medicaid programs.

For example, Medicaid in California is called Medi-Cal and is managed by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). There are more than 10 million people enrolled in the California Medi-Cal program.

In New York, the Department of Health oversees the Medicaid program and if you live in New York City, you contact the Human Resources Administration. Outside of New York City you contact your local Department of Social Services (DSS) office to apply for Medicaid.

In Texas, the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is responsible for the Texas Medicaid program.

In Florida, Medicaid is administered by the Agency for Health Care Administration, but your Medicaid eligibility is determined by either the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or the Social Security Administration (SSA) for people that receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Visit our Florida Medicaid page for an overview of the Florida Medicaid program and eligiblity.

No matter where you live, once you locate your local Medicaid office, you will need to ask for a Medicaid application and fill it out at the office. Make sure that you have your birth certificate, Social Security card, driver's license, proof of your address, pay stubs, proof of other insurance if you have it, and bank account information.

You need to be ready to answer questions about your finances and financial situation. Your Medicaid eligibility is based on your level of income.

Medicaid Annuity - A Medicaid annuity can allow you to protect your assets against the expected expenses of nursing home care and healthcare. The use of an immediate annuity is considered a Medicaid friendly annuity.

Medicaid Dental Coverage - Dental services are an optional service for adults (age 21 and older). However, dental services are a required service for most Medicaid-eligible individuals under the age of 21. For more information about  dental coverage please visit our Medicaid dental coverage page.

Medicaid Eligibility - Medicaid is only available to individuals and families with low income. Many different groups of people might be eligible for Medicaid assistance but different requirements must be met even within the groups. If you need medical assistance and you have low income and limited financial resources, you should apply for Medicaid. For more eligibility information feel free to visit our Medicaid eligibility page.

Florida Medicaid Claims Data Online

Florida recently announced that they are the first state to offer Medicaid claims data online. Physicians in Florida are the now able to access statewide data on Medicaid patient claims through a Web portal.

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration launched the service which provides up to 18 months of patient records for selected clinical information. Before physicians and other health professionals can view a patients records, they must obtain the patients' consent, except for medical emergencies.

The Florida Medicaid agency also introduced personal electronic health records for Medicaid enrollees. Medicaid patients can submit information like emergency contact information and family medical history. The system is called My Florida Health eBook, and the system will also include Medicaid claims information.

It is difficult to predict how many of Florida's 2.6 million Medicaid enrollees would fill out their personal records. Having access to patient's prescription histories should be useful because many Medicaid enrollees are on multiple medications.

The recent federal stimulus package included about $19 billion in Medicaid and Medicare incentives for developing better health  information technology. All of the states are currently working on some version of electronic health records.

Waste of Medicaid Funds

One of the main concerns that people have about some of the state's Medicaid programs is the waste of Medicaid funds. Recent audits of New York's Medicaid system by the State Comptroller revealed that New York wasted at least $92 million dollars in Medicaid funds to billing errors, improper payments and poor recordkeeping during the last five years. There needs to be an increased effort to reduce Medicaid fraud and waste.