Medicare eligibility requirements are much less complex than Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Medicare and Medicaid are federal health care programs. The former is a program designed for retired or disabled citizens who are not insured by employers or private companies. The latter is a program designed to provide health insurance coverage to citizens who are poor, unemployed or otherwise without access to health care or unable to afford insurance. Medicare is a federally-operated program. Medicaid, while federally-administered, is run at the state level.
Medicare General Eligibility
Medicare has relatively basic general eligibility requirements to which a few stipulations are attached. American citizens and legal immigrants who are aged 65 years or older, younger than 65 but disabled or diagnosed with end-stage renal disease are also eligible for Medicare. Provisions apply to those aged 65 years or older. These individuals are eligible if they or a spouse spent at least 10 years working for a company that levied Medicare taxes. Some citizens under the age of 65 may be eligible to begin receiving Medicare benefits. To be eligible for early Medicare benefits, you must have been receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits for 24 months or previously worked in a Medicare-covered government job.
Medicare Plan Eligibility
Basic Medicare is comprised of Parts A and Part B, hospital and medical insurance coverage, respectively. Part C is the Medicare advantage plan; to be eligible for this coverage, one must already be enrolled in Part A or B. Part D offers prescription drug coverage which also requires that the participant be enrolled in Part A or B. Medicare advantage plans include drug coverage.
Medicaid General Eligibility
According to the Social Security Administration, Medicaid is available to financially troubled U.S. citizens and legal immigrants in need of health care coverage who are elderly, blind, disabled or who otherwise qualify for federal income assistance. Because Medicaid is administered by each state, income requirements will vary, and plan participants may be asked to provide a share of cost for coverage.
Required Medicaid Documents
Medicaid applicants will be asked to provide qualifying documents to establish eligibility. These documents include, but are not limited to, a birth certificate, proof of citizenship or alien status, recent paycheck stubs for applicants who are working, proof of income from sources such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Veteran's Benefits or retirement, proof of residence and any other health insurance coverage.
