What is the Medicaid Program?

Medicaid, also known as the Medical Assistance program or "M.A.", is an government backed entitlement program that pays for essential health care services for certain categories of elderly persons who can prove they have limited assets and income or high medical expenses. Medicaid is jointly administered by the federal and state government.

The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sets basic minimum standards and broad program guidelines for Medicaid. The federal statutory provisions are found in Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 United States Code, Sections 1396 et seq, and the federal regulations are issued by HCFA at Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 430 et seq.

The State of Michigan operates the program locally through Department of Human Services (DHS) offices in each county. The DHS determines the eligibility procedures and the income and asset limits for qualifying for and receiving Medicaid. Those procedures are set forth in the DHS Program Eligibility Manual.