|
Medicaid, national health insurance program in the United States for low-income persons; established in 1965 with passage of the Social Security Amendments and now run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The federal role in Medicaid is limited to setting standards, issuing regulations and guidelines, and overseeing operation of the program by the states. About 36 million people received Medicaid in 1996. Of the various services covered under Medicaid in 1996, 22% of the funds were used to purchase in-patient hospital services; 24%, nursing home services; 6%, physician services; and the remainder drugs, laboratory services, X rays, and other covered services. Political debate on the future of Medicaid has accompanied health-care reform and budget deficit reduction debates.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2009, Columbia
University Press.
Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
|
