Medicare and Medicaid Essay - 1307 Words

Medicare and Medicaid are programs that have been developed to assist Americans in attainment of quality health care. Both programs were established in 1965 and are federally supported to provide health care coverage to vulnerable populations such as the elderly, the disabled, and people with low incomes. Both Medicare and Medicaid are federally mandated and determine coverage under each program; both are run by the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services, a federal agency (What is Medicare? What is Medicaid?† 2008). Distinguishing between Medicare and Medicaid Medicare is a federally governed insurance program, primarily serving Americans over the age of 65, younger disabled meeting specific disability criteria, and dialysis†¦show more content†¦The Evolution of Medicare based on the Needs of Society Since its establishment in 1965 we have seen Medicare change as people’s needs change however being a federal program these changes do have an incredible amount of lag time. One of the first major changes to Medicare occurred in 1972 when President Nixon signed the Social Security Amendments of 1972 which extended coverage to individuals under age 65 with long-term disabilities, expanded benefits to include some chiropractic services and speech and physical therapy. During this time we see the American public growing tired of the Vietnam Conflict and lack of support and care for those returning Marines and soldiers with severe disabilities. As the protests escalate and the peace initiatives fail a key piece of legislation is signed showing government support and a willingness to extend health care benefits to this growing and vocal population of veterans (The Vietnam War, 1999). Also included in this Amendment is the encouragement of the use of Health Maintenance Organizations, President Nixon’s administration caught in the scandal of Watergate and pending hearings appeased the left and proposed the HMO Act, which Congress passed in 1973 (Phillips, 2003). Conte Karr (2001) report the economic growth of the 1980’s in the United States sees President Regan cutting taxes and slashing social programs. President Reagan alsoShow MoreRelatedMedicare, Medicaid692 Words   |  3 PagesIntroduction The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of two federally and/or state funded programs. The programs that will be discussed are Medicare and Medicaid. In this paper will be information about who receives Medicaid/Medicare, the services offered by these programs, and those long term services that are not. Medicaid Medicaid is a joi8nt federal and state program. It provides health coverage to nearly 60 million Americans including children, pregnant women, seniors, and individualsRead MoreMedicaid and Medicare1055 Words   |  5 Pages3 percent of all Medicaid program expenditures, growing from $380 million in 1975 to $11.1 billion in 2004† (pg. 365). There are also programs and services provide to the elderly and those who have chronic physical and mental illness. Nursing homes, skilled care facilities, assisted living facilities, and group homes all are sources of LTC expenditures. â€Å"Medicare is a small player in nursing home care, paying for only about 14 percent of nursing home expenditures in 2004. Medicaid is the major payerRead MoreImpacts of Medicare and Medicaid742 Words   |  3 Pagesdifficult. In the article â€Å"Some Elders Must Take Drastic Measures to Obtain Long-term Care†, national magazine journalist Mary A. Fischer (2011) states that many Americans must fa ce demeaning and disempowering choices in order to qualify for Medicaid or Medicare—federal funded health insurance programs— such as refusing to pay for a spouses institutionalization, divorce, and spending down assets. The author argues that these choices leave the healthy spouse with decreased funds to plan for their ownRead More Medicare and Medicaid Essay2111 Words   |  9 PagesStatement of Problem Medicare and Medicaid are two of the United States largest broken systems, which must sustain themselves in order to provide care to their beneficiaries. Both Medicare and Medicaid are funding by a joint effort between the federal government and the local state government. If and when these governments choose to cut funding or reduce spending, Medicare and Medicaid take the biggest hit. Most people see these two benefits as one in the same, two benefits the government takesRead MoreThe For Medicare And Medicaid Services1178 Words   |  5 Pages(EMR’s) and meaningful use. (Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2014) â€Å"Meaningful use† as defined by HealthIT.gov consists of using digital health records to improve quality, safety, efficiency, and reduce health disparities. Its purpose is to also engage patients and families. Additionally, it is hoped to improve care coordination and maintain privacy and security of patient health information. By the fall of 2010, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CSM) had certified electronicRead MoreMedicare and Medicaid Essay2485 Words   |  10 PagesCOMPARE AND CONTRAST MEDICAID AND MEDICARE Medicaid and Medicare are two different government programs. Both programs were created in 1965 to help older and low-income families be able to buy their own private health insurance. These programs were part of President Lyndon Johnson’s â€Å"Great Society† plan, a commitment to helping meet the needs of individual health care. They are social insurance programs, which allow the financial load of patient’s illnesses to be shared by other healthy, sick,Read MoreMedicare and Medicaid Overview2772 Words   |  12 PagesMedicare and Medicaid: An Overview It is important that we all understand the basics of the Medicare and Medicaid programs as we will all eventually come of age where it is necessary to seek their assistance. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief history of how the program came about, the various plans for each program, issues that affect cost and access to the programs, how the political arena is affected and finally a conclusion with final thoughts on the total information. The ideaRead MoreA Brief Note On Medicare And Medicaid Services1499 Words   |  6 PagesBoth Medicare and Medicaid are managed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Medicare was created in 1965 when people of over 65 found it impossible to get private health insurance coverage. Medicare is a Federal health insurance program that pays for hospital and medical care for elderly and certain individual with disabilities. The program consists of two main parts for hospital and medical insuranceRead MoreMedicaid And Medicare : Health Care For Individuals And Families With Low Income1605 Words   |  7 Pagesprograms that provide health care to specific groups of people in the United States known as Medicaid and Medicare. After President Johnson signed the Social Security Act in 1965, the government created these two programs. Each of the programs have their own eligibility requirements, covera ge, and cost. The Healthcare reform effected both programs eligibility requirements, cost, and coverage. Medicaid provides healthcare insurance for individuals and families with low income. The federal governmentRead MoreComparing Medicare And Medicaid Managed Care Plans897 Words   |  4 PagesThe purpose of this paper is to thoroughly examine the similarities and differences of Medicare and Medicaid managed care plans by comparing and contrasting its strengths, weaknesses, incentives, commitment to access, and risks to the consumer. Medicaid and Medicare are both health insurance programs financed and administered by government entities and are both equivalent in terms of the number of beneficiaries and total expenditures (McCarthy, Schafermeyer, Plake, 2011). These healthcare programs