Medicare is a health insurance system for people age 65 or
older as well as many people with disabilities. Typically
people who are receiving full retirement benefits, those who
have attained age 65 with reduced benefits and those who qualify
for social security disability benefits are eligible for Medicare.
Medicaid is the health insurance system for those people
with low income and limited assets. Medicaid is run by state
agencies. Medicaid is a separate system from Medicare.
Medicare is composed of two parts:
Part A provides hospital insurance - inpatient hospital
care, skilled nursing facility care, home health care, hospice
care and certain follow-up services; and
Part B provides medical insurance to pay for doctor services,
outpatient hospital care, home health visits, diagnostic
X-ray, laboratory and other tests, necessary ambulance services,
and certain other medical services and supplies.
Medicare does not pay for:
(1) custodial care
(2) dentures and routine dental care
(3) eyeglasses, hearing aids and examinations to prescribe
and fit them
(4) nursing home care other than skilled nursing care
(5) prescription drugs
(6) routine physical check-ups and related tests
Certain private insurance and health maintenance organization
programs are available which provide "wrap-around"
coverage for care, services and things which Medicare does
not pay for.
