Medicaid and Social Security programs use different eligibility rules and provide different kinds of support. Medicaid is a joint federal-state program administered by states within federal requirements. Social Security includes retirement, family, survivor, and disability benefits.
Family benefits can pay certain relatives of a living person entitled to retirement or disability benefits; survivor benefits arise after a covered worker dies. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a separate needs-based program. People can qualify for more than one program, but eligibility and coordination depend on their circumstances.
Learning path
- Medicaid and Social Security: Medicaid, Social Security retirement, family, and survivor benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
- Social Insurance Eligibility and Coordination: Program eligibility concepts, coordination with Medicare and private coverage, and the term dual eligible for a person who qualifies for both Medicare and Medicaid.
Apply the unit
A client receives Medicare and Medicaid and asks whether the programs provide the same coverage.
- Identify the programs separately, explain the general dual-eligible relationship, and refer to current program notices for benefits and coordination.
Study checkpoint
- Can you distinguish SSDI from SSI?
- Can you explain why Medicaid eligibility is not identical in every state?
- Can you identify what “dual eligible” describes?