Differences Between Medicare and Medicaid

Module 4 Case Assignment

BHS450: Health Care Delivery Systems

Two well know government run health care programs are Medicare and Medicaid. This paper will discuss and distinguish the difference between the two. By focusing on how Medicare mainly covers people 65 years or older and individuals with permanent disability and Medicaid primarily covers people base on the combination of population groups and the poverty level this groups fall under, such as; pregnant women, children, family with very low income, etc. It will also cover how Medicare has evolved to accommodate the changing needs of the U.S. population, through the development and implementation of Medicare part C and part D. It will also discuss how and what impact will the health care reform initiatives have on Medicare and Medicaid.

Even though Medicare and Medicaid are both government run health care programs they are very different on whom they cover or what they cover. First let’s define what Medicare is and who can apply or can be cover by it. Medicare as said earlier is federal government health care programs for people 65 year or age or older and people with permanent disability. These individuals that qualified due to their age; is usually because they are collecting social security, which generally means that either they or their spouse have pay instamatic care through their payroll taxes for ten years or more (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2002). Medicare is divided in four parts. Part A covers hospital and skill nursing care, which every one under Medicare is cover. Part B is for physician and outpatient hospital care, and this one has a monthly premium. Part C is coverage through HMOs, and PPOs approved by Medicare and their cost is base on location and total coverage package and out of pocket cost. Part D also call PDPs (prescribed drug plan), add drug coverage to Original Medicare, some Medicare Cost Plans, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings...