Medicaid Overview
Understand Medicaid eligibility, coverage, and how it works with Medicare.
Understand Medicaid eligibility, coverage, and how it works with Medicare.
Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. As of June 2025, 70.5 million people are covered under the program. Medicaid is administered by states, according to federal requirements, and funded jointly by states and the federal government.
Medicaid covers eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. The rules around who’s eligible for Medicaid are different in each state. The Affordable Care Act established a new methodology for determining income eligibility for Medicaid, based on Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). See if your state has expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income adults.
Medicaid provides health coverage to eligible individuals. Medicaid also covers additional services beyond those provided under Medicare, including nursing facility care beyond the 100-day limit or skilled nursing facility care that Medicare covers, prescription drugs, eyeglasses, and hearing aids. Medicaid offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, like nursing home care and personal care services.
Once an individual is determined eligible for Medicaid, coverage is effective either on the date of application or the first day of the month of application. Benefits also may be covered retroactively for up to three months prior to the month of application, if the individual would have been eligible during that period had he or she applied. Connect with your state Medicaid office to apply for health coverage, check if you qualify, track your application status, and find local healthcare providers accepting Medicaid.
Medicaid provides health coverage to 7.2 million low-income seniors who are also enrolled in Medicare, and to 4.8 million people with disabilities who are enrolled in Medicare. In total, 12 million people are "dually eligible" and enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare. Medicare pays first when you’re a dual eligible and you get Medicare-covered services. Medicare enrollees who have limited income and resources may get help paying for their premiums and out-of-pocket medical expenses from Medicaid (e.g., MSPs, QMBs, SLBs, and QIs). Eligibility for the Medicare Savings Programs, through which Medicaid pays Medicare premiums, deductibles, and/or coinsurance costs for beneficiaries eligible for both programs (often referred to as dual eligibles) is determined using SSI methodologies.