Posted on 01/23/2014 4:00:55 PM PST by umgud
What are the major differences between Medicaid, Medicare? Which covers more? Since Obamacare thrusts so many into Medicaid, and has raised income limits, can a retiree chose Medicaid over Medicare? Can I assume a person who retires early (at 62) and can't get Medicare until 66, can get Medicaid?
I can’t say which covers more. Medicare is for those on Social Security, either retired or on Social Security Disability. I think you have to wait 2 years after getting SS Disability to get Medicare. Medicaid, or Medi-Cal for California, is income-qualified. I would think you could get Medicaid before becoming eligible for Medicare if you meet the income restrictions.
Having been a consultant for many years at the IL Dept. of Public Aid (the MEDICAID agency), I can answer for IL based on experience.
Each state can optionally cover some aspects and receive the Federal matching funds commensurate with their coverage and documentation. IL, at the time, was a 50% match. All states cover basically what Medicare covers at Federal direction but, again, can add services.
IL had no limitation on service to a recipient and no co-pays of any kind. They made a half-hearted attempt at collection from third party payers if the individual may have been covered by some sort of insurance. While some procedures required prior approval, if the doctor recommended it, the procedure was almost always approved. And, yes, that included organ transplants and the like. Do not recall seeing any sex-change procedures but then when I was there, that wasn’t so ‘common’.
The only safeguard against overuse of the MEDICAID system was the low reimbursement rate for everyone other than hospitals and nursing homes who were paid very well. IL had to pay less than what Medicare paid for a doctor’s procedure and that Medicare payment was low to begin with.
At one point IL paid $8.10 for a common office visit. That visit cost you or me $25.00. The state rate only went up if the Fed rate went up and, as doctors lost money on MEDICAID clients, it wasn’t long before you and I were paying $65.00 for that same visit. The only other way to make money as a physician was to herd patients through like cattle and make money in bulk.
Sadly, MEDICAID was some good coverage. Too good, and it was abused until it became a lifetime ‘right’. Hey, costs me nothing to go to the doctor/hospital/dentist/whatever, I have my green card (the IL MEDICAID card which was never green to my knowledge - color based on your status).
Yhanks, that’s pretty informative.
Medicare starts at 65.
Medicaid is primarily for unemployed or low income
Medicare can be applicable in the case of disability (blindness, etc) at any age.
Medicaid can be awarded to a Medicare client at any age for need-based reasons.
Medicaid is still for low income, if you, consider the $32,500 limit for a family of four under Expanded Medicaid “low”.
As many of my former patients used to say about MediCaid “It’s the bestest insurance cuz it don’t cost you a thing”
By putting middle class people on Medicaid through the ObamaCare website rather than letting them keep their current insurance, the government will be able to take assets after the person dies. If they had been able to keep their insurance, they might not owe anything to the government.
Sickening.
Medicaid Estate Recovery for Expanded Medicaid enrollees has been repealed in Washington State and Oregon, except for long-term care (nursing home) expenses, with other states headed in the same direction.
Many conservatives, however, favor the recovery as it is repaying taxpayers for the care provided to them.
They *will* go after your estate. Whatever Medicaid paid out for your care will be tallied up and the government will be first in line to take that amount. Your house, your car, your bank account.
In the states which have not repealed recovery, the government can recovery what's called capitation and premiums paid by the state whether or not a claim has ever been made.
Also, if an individual is covered by Medicaid, it is illegal to obtain care for cash or under any other insurance scheme. A provider, if caught doing this, can be heavily penalized.
In terms of your question, if you are on Medicaid, you won't have an estate other than this spouses exception.
You don’t want to go on expanded Medicaid if you have any assets because of Asset Recovery and liens that can be placed against your property.
They got rid of the asset limit when they relaxed the eligibility requirements so they could sucker a lot of people with assets into Medicaid and then scoop up the assets.
Not only after you die.
They can place liens on your property so that when you sell (while you are alive) you have pay up.
I know that some states are getting rid of these rules but I wouldn’t trust it.
Under the new expanded Medicaid under Obamacare, the eligibility requirements have been greatly relaxed. The income limit has been raised and the asset test is eliminated. (This is in the States that went along with expanded Medicaid. It was a mandate under Obamacare but the Supreme Court ruled States did not have to expand it.)
Some of those who get their incomes from the big pile of debt tend to complain about this, but there are good and legal ways around having your property confiscated by their own socialist lobbies.
This is false. The libs were horrified when they discovered that their prized lower-income constituencies were going to be hit with asset recovery, due to the provisions of Social Security Act – 42 USC 1396p, and state laws. This is why they're repealing it. Their intention is not to seize those folks' assets, but to redistribute assets from wealthier people.
If you go on disability, there is a 2-year wait to get Medicare. Congress enacted this so that people would die before they became eligible. Callous but that was the reasoning.
A person does not have to buy insurance through The Exchanges therefore no Medicaid problem.
.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.