Kansas had 429,952 Medicare beneficiaries in 2010.
Medicare and Medicaid are national health insurance programs in the United States. Medicare is designed to be used mainly by those aged 65 or older, while Medicaid is for low-income individuals of all ages. You can qualify for Medicare and Medicaid at the same time if you are aged 65 or older. While both programs are available all over the U.S., states do have some leeway in ways to offer them. Kansas' Medicaid programs are administered by the Kansas Health Policy Authority, while Medicare is overseen by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
Eligibility
Medicare and Medicaid have very different eligibility requirements. Medicare is available to any U.S. resident or permanent resident aged 65 or older. If you have paid 10 years of Medicare taxes, Part A Medicare is offered premium-free, although the other three parts generally require premiums, as well as deductibles and copays. Kansas Medicaid programs are meant for children, adult caregivers, the disabled, the elderly and pregnant women. Medicaid eligibility is mostly decided by your income compared with the federal poverty level.
Income Levels
Medicare has no income maximum or minimum in order to enroll, although your income level determines how much your Part B monthly premiums will be if you buy it through the federal government. However, Kansas does offer help paying for the Part B deductible and the costs of Part D drug coverage to low-income Medicare beneficiaries. If you exceed a maximum income level for Medicaid, however, you do not qualify at all. HealthWave Medicaid, the program for minors under 19 and pregnant women, has different maximum income levels depending on how many people live in the household and the ages of the children. Parents and other adult caregivers must not exceed a different monthly income level.
Benefits
The benefits for Medicare depend on which plans you buy. Part A Medicare covers inpatient hospital care, home health and hospice care. Part B adds outpatient hospital services, doctor's visits, health screenings and some vaccinations. Part C, Medicare Advantage, allows you to purchase Parts A and B from private insurance companies but may also offer extra benefits such as vision or hearing. Part D Medicare is for prescription drugs only. Kansas Medicaid benefits depend on your age and the exact program you are enrolled in. To find out if you are covered for a particular procedure, the Kansas Health Policy Authority recommends obtaining a procedure code from your doctor and then checking with the Medical Assistance Customer Service Center. In general, Medicaid has benefits for dental work, doctor's visits, mental health care, vision, hospice, immunizations and long-term nursing home stays.
Applying
Those who are already receiving Social Security benefits will be enrolled in Medicare automatically when they turn 65. If you are not already receiving SS benefits, you will have to enroll yourself during your initial enrollment period. This runs from three months before the month of your 65th birthday to three months after. During this time, you will need to contact your local Kansas Social Security Administration office in order to join. To apply for one of Kansas' Medicaid programs, you can request an application by phone or by fax from the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. Downloadable applications are available in Vietnamese, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, German, French, Chinese, Arabic and English at the Kansas Health Policy Authority website. You can also pick up an application in-person at your SRS office. After completing the application, return by fax, mail or in-person to your SRS office.
