Medicaid vs Medicare: What’s covered and who qualifies

First let’s differentiate between Medicaid and medicare. Medicaid is both federal and state funded for those who have limited income and resources. Many states now require a small monthly premium based on income. Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for traditional Medicaid. Many legal immigrants may also not qualify based on restrictions for student, business, or tourist Visas. To date illegal aliens do not receive any federal benefits. To receive Medicaid, they must be 65 or older and have lived in the U.S. for at least five years.

Medicare is a federally funded health insurance plan for those over 65 or for younger people who have been identified as having a disability. Generally, you are required to sign up for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday even if you are receiving benefits from an employer. Check with your employer to be sure as late enrollment could result in fees.

There are several parts to Medicare and you can select those based on your personal circumstances. Part A covers hospitalizations and is premium free if you have paid into social security for 40 quarters or are eligible through a spouse. If not, your premium could be $285 to $518 based on work history. There is an annual deductible of $1,676 for part A. Part B covers doctor visits and diagnostic testing and costs $185 a month and has an annual deductible of $257Part D is drug coverage and costs about $40 per month.

There is also an HMO option referred to as an advantage plan. The plans depend largely on where you live. Medicare does not cover glasses, dental or hearing aids.

Under the current administration federal health spending will be cut by $1 trillion over the next decade. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that nearly 12 million people will be without health care by 2034.

Healthcare will be impacted by a work requirement and new reporting standards. Health researchers say the work requirement will have little impact on employment citing that the state of Georgia has been using a work requirement since 2023. The administrative cost was $90 million compared to the 26 million actually spent on benefits.

Rural areas and the poor will suffer the most under these cuts. Small clinics and hospitals will close. Doctors will be unavailable. Obama-care will see a shorter (by one month) enrollment period and less help with premiums. The cost burden will fall to the old and sick and be passed on to the already over burdened hospitals. Is this what we want for our country?

Robin Bardun

Uhrichsville