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Types of Medicaid and Health Insurance Assistance Programs
- January 12, 2024
- Reviewed by John Krahnert
Many people may know Medicaid as a publicly-funded health insurance program for people with limited income or financial resources. But many people may not realize that there are actually several different types of Medicaid programs.
Medicaid eligibility and coverage can vary by state. If you meet your state’s Medicaid eligibility requirements, you may qualify to receive assistance through one of the following types of Medicaid programs.
- Aged, blind and disabled (ABD) Medicaid: Available to those age 65 and over who are blind or otherwise disabled
- Home and community-based service (HCBS): Coverage to help you age in place at home or in a community-based setting such as an assisted living facility
- Institutional Medicaid, also called Long Term Care (LTC) Medicaid: Coverage available to residents of nursing homes
Medicaid is primarily designed to help individuals, families, children, the elderly, disabled persons and pregnant women who have limited financial resources or low incomes.
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Additional types of Medicaid programs
Each state governs its own Medicaid program and is responsible for establishing its own set of benefits, costs and eligibility rules (while adhering to federal guidelines). That means the types of available Medicaid programs will differ from one state to the next.
But some of the types of Medicaid programs that you might find in certain states may include coverage for:
- Individuals under the age of 21 who are on the autism spectrum
- Foster care, adoption assistance and benefits for juvenile justice members
- Those in need of long-term care
- Those transitioning from long-term care back to the community
- Those in need of transportation to medical appointments
- Uninsured and underinsured pregnant women
- Women with breast or cervical cancer
Types of Medicaid for Medicare beneficiaries
Certain individuals are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. This is known as “dual eligibility.” There are four different types of Medicare Savings Programs available to Medicare beneficiaries who meet certain eligibility requirements.
In some states, you may qualify for one of the following Medicare Savings Programs even if you don’t qualify for Medicaid in your state.
Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program
This QMB program helps pay for Medicare Part A and Part B premiums, deductibles, coinsurance and copayments.
Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program
This program helps pay for Medicare Part B premiums.
Qualifying Individual (QI) Program
This program also helps pay for Medicare Part B premiums. You can’t get QI benefits if you qualify for Medicaid in your state.
Qualified Disabled Working Individual (QDWI) Program
This program helps pay Medicare Part A premiums for disabled persons who are working and meeting certain income limits.
Dual-eligible Medicare Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs)
Dual-eligible beneficiaries may also join a certain type of Medicare Advantage plan called a Dual-eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP).
Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurance companies and offer all of the same benefits as Medicare Part A and Part B. In addition, many Medicare Advantage plans may cover some services and benefits not covered by Part A or Part B.
Medicare Special Needs Plans are customized to the specific health care needs of individuals with particular medical conditions or living circumstances. A Dual-eligible Special Needs Plan has benefits tailored to the needs of someone with low income and resources.
All Medicare D-SNPs are required by law to provide prescription drug coverage.
Contact your state Medicaid program
Contact your state Medicaid program to learn about the different types and benefits that may be available to you and for help determining your eligibility, costs and more.
If you’re interested in learning more about Medicare Special Needs Plans for people who are dual-eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, you can compare plans online to find out if any Medicare D-SNPs are available where you live.
You can also call to speak with a licensed insurance agent to learn more about Medicare Advantage plans available in your area.
About the author
Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.
Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.
Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.
Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.
A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.
