What is the Difference Between Medicare and Medi-Cal?
Medicare and Medi-Cal are two different government benefit programs that help Americans cover the cost of healthcare. While these two programs share many similarities, they each have different benefits, enrollment requirements, and costs.
Medicare vs. Medi-Cal
Medicare is a federal health insurance program that is offered to Americans age 65 or older and certain young people who are disabled or receiving dialysis treatments. This program provides coverage for hospital stays, certain in-home treatments, doctors' fees, and certain outpatient care. Coverage will vary depending on if a person has Medicare Part A, Part B, or Part C. Each of these three "parts" have different costs associated with them in the form of monthly premiums and copays, with Medicare only covering costs once a person has reached their yearly deductible. Since Medicare is a nationwide program, rules for Medicare are the same for patients in all states.
Medi-Cal, on the other end of the spectrum, is California's version of Medicaid and offers coverage for low-income people of every age. Eligibility is based on a person's means and is only offered to people with limited resources. While some small fees will sometimes be required for certain services, Medi-Cal covers the majority of health costs in their entirety, including long-term nursing home care, pediatric care, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, and many other services. Medi-Cal will in many cases pay for costs that Medicare alone will not cover, including monthly premiums and deductibles.
It is possible for a person to be eligible to receive coverage under both programs, though being eligible for one does not necessarily correlate to being able to enroll in another. An attorney can examine your situation on your behalf and help you determine which program is suited for your individual needs.
Get Disability Action Advocates on Your Side
When it comes to government-funded benefit programs, the Sacramento Social Security Disability lawyers at Disability Action Advocates have you covered. Our firm has fought to help disabled Americans receive their entitled benefits for more than 20 years, giving us the knowledge and experience to help ensure you obtain the assistance you deserve.
To find out more about how our firm can help, contact our office online or call (888) 421-8705 today.