Who Is Medicaid Assistance For?

Medicaid is a health program for people who cannot afford to pay for health care. There are specific age and income requirements to qualify for Medicaid assistance and each state has its own program and standards. However, eligibility is based on need alone. State Medicaid programs are dynamic in nature. They are constantly being expanded and improved if an effort to provide this vital service to the people who need it. In today’s, unsettled world, many people find themselves unable to afford health care. Medicaid is a program that seeks to remedy that situation by providing a means to pay for people that need it.

There are two basic forms of Medicaid; Long-term or “institutional” Medicaid is often seen as providing nursing home care to the elderly while “community” Medicaid assistance is normally used by younger people who are disabled or on public assistance of some sort. The most important difference between these programs is the recovery requirement. Most states have a requirement that Medicaid money spent on nursing home care for the elderly should be recovered from families and estates, when possible.

The community form of Medicaid does not have this recovery requirement and recipients rarely have to pay back the funds they receive. If you are cannot afford to pay for needed health care you should contact your state Medicaid office. Eligibility requirements, office locations and applications can be found online and can be quite surprising. Many people can qualify for Medicaid assistance and if you do not have Internet access, information can be obtained at any government office near you or by contacting HPSNY today!