How to Compare Medicaid With Medicare

Although the names are similar, Medicaid and Medicare are two entirely different medical programs. Medicare is a federal program that's for the elderly, disabled and people with kidney disease. Medicaid is a state program for people with low incomes. They're applied for and administered separately, but some people can be eligible for both, depending on their circumstances. These people are called 'dual eligible.' Comparisons between the programs can be found on multiple government-run websites.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet access

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Instructions

• 1

  Visit the official Medicare website to read information on who's eligible to participate in the Medicare program. If you want to specifically find out about your own eligibility status, you can fill out an online questionnaire. In it, you'll be asked to answer a series of questions, with the number of questions, and the questions themselves varying depending on your answers. Once enough information is collected, the site displays detailed information about your specific situation.

• 2

  Go to the Benefits.gov website to see your state's Medicaid office contact information. Click on the link for your state's Medicaid program, then read the program description and program requirements for your state, and/or any other state.

• 3

  Compare the main components of the two programs side-by-side on a single page after you've read them separately. Some reputable third-party websites can give you a general comparison of the two programs.