Medicaid vs. Medicare: Know the Difference

Medicare and Medicaid sound similar, but they are different. In Rhode Island, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services manages the Medicaid Program, but not Medicare. Learn more about the difference between these two programs below.  

Medicare

Medicare is a federal health insurance for people 65 or older, and some people under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions. Medicare coverage and costs are the same in each state. This means a person’s Medicare coverage will be the same no matter what state they live in. People with Medicare help pay for their costs through monthly payments, deductibles, and coinsurance. However, Medicaid offers benefits that Medicare doesn’t normally cover like nursing home care and personal care services. 

To learn more about Medicare, visit Medicare.gov.  

Medicaid 

Medicaid helps people with low income and limited services pay for medical costs. Both the federal government and each state manage Medicaid together. The federal government sets basic rules, but each state runs its own program. This means eligibility requirements can vary from state to state.  

Dual Eligibles 

People who are eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare are called “dual eligibles,” or they’re called "Medicare-Medicaid” enrollees. To have “dual eligibility,” you must be enrolled in full coverage Medicaid or one of Medicaid’s Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs).