Medicaid can be described as a state program that helps the residents of the US a low-cost or free health coverage. The terms and conditions of such programs differ from state to state, and even the name of this program may vary.
The need for Medicaid
The US government understands the need for medical assistance for the elderly, disabled, weak people, and individuals that have low income. It is solely the reason for commencing this program in 1965. The states and the federal government together fund the program. The States, anyhow, have to follow some federal guidelines. But because the guidelines are comprehensive, the states have the independency to operate the program the way they want. The core objective of the Medicaid program is to help the population that deserves it.
Who can apply?
The low-cost Medicaid Services apply to a certain population which include
- Children
- People with disabilities
- People 65 or above the age
- Pregnant women
- Individuals/adults having low income
It is important to mention that the criteria or eligibility may differ from state to state. For example, 15 states do not provide the Affordable Care Act(ACA), the adults aged above 21 do not qualify for the program no matter how low their salary or income. They can only apply for this program if they are applying for children’s care, are pregnant, elderly, or are disabled. In such states, even parents cannot apply for such a program if their income does not come under the poverty line. They are ineligible for the program if their salary exceeds 42% of the line of poverty, that is (9,122 dollars for parents and one child).
Who cannot apply?
Many people who are lawful citizens and have immigration status are also not eligible for such a program. This includes the part of the population who are allowed to live in The US by the government for humanitarian purposes. This part of the population has a protected status to live in the country.
Apart from that, some individuals visit or stay in The US for educational, travel, and business-related purposes. These people, too, have no eligibility for the program.
The green card holders also are not allowed to enroll in such a program for the initial five years.
What services are covered by Medicaid?
Some mandatory services are there have to be covered by the program. These services include laboratory and x-ray services, nursing facilities, and home health care facilities.
The States also have to ensure that they provide assistance such as EPSDT benefits for children below 21 years old and early periodic screenings.
The state may also offer vision services, dental care, and hearing aids. Furthermore, personal home care services are also covered for elderly people and disabled ones in this program. But all these services mentioned are assumed to be optional rather than mandatory.
The majority part of the total spending is spent on some critical services such as prescription drugs, hospital care, and physician services. The rest of the amount is used to provide nursing home facilities and long-term support services.
This program does not directly offer services to the sufferer, but privately managed care plans mostly cover it. Medicaid programs also pay doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, and all the health care providers who provide healthcare services to qualified patients.
How helpful is Medicaid
Many Americans relied on private insurance before the ACA’s coverage expansion in 2014. Since 2014, the number of uninsured individuals has dropped from 49 million to 29 million. The only reason for such a drastic drop was the health insurance coverage Medicaid program.
Low-income individuals have no access to such insurance, especially health insurance. Health is the highest priority for any individual, and because of such a program by the government, people can rely on it for their health.
A natural comparison experiment was done by the researchers of states in which ACA was offered or was not offered.
It was clearly seen in the studies that the individuals having less income and in the states where ACA’s expansion was provided got into interaction with their physician, they got their check-ups more often and also went for the care of their chronic condition frequently.
The overall debt of medical dropped down by 1,140 dollars for the ones availing of ACA’s expansion. The low-income individuals were able to get more access to credit which also includes auto loans and lower interest mortgages, and such individuals were less likely to get eviction notices for their houses.
It was also seen that Medicaid was able to improve self-reported health. This program was able to lessen the stress and depression found in the population. Diabetes and hypertension among the population also got in control.
Studies have found that Medicaid helps in saving lives. The expansion of this program has enabled to save more than 19,000 lives among adults.
The Medicaid program also has helped children in the long term. Studies have found that the children with Medicaid did better in school, high school, and college, missed fewer classes, and earned more.
CDPAP Services and Medicaid program.
CDPAP is Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program; through such a program, you can hire any person from your family, neighbor, or friend to provide you personal care. There are many Health care agencies that provide Cdpap services, Including Direct Personal Care.
It is such an amazing program that can help you be close to your loved ones and get their care simultaneously. As a caretaker, you can earn money and blessings from the ones to whom you are providing care. This program especially helps elderly people who are extremely dependent on someone else in order to carry out their day-to-day activities. No matter if you hire a specialist or a good nurse, none of them can provide the level of care that a person that loves you can provide. It is important to have a Medicaid License To get CDPAP services, only after which you can enroll in the personal assistance program.