Medicaid and Medicare Systems

Medicaid and Medicare are social health care programs in the United States that provide medical benefits of various types to those for whom getting proper medical care is difficult; Medicaid ensures medical benefits for individuals in low-income families or with other legitimate difficulties accessing medication (which may be totally separate from or a contributor to poverty, such as disability or lack of access to a vehicle), while Medicare provides medical care for elderly individuals living on a fixed income.

The exact types of assistance offered by each program are myriad and often vary on a case-by-case basis, but there are some general characteristics that the programs share with one another, and a few traits unique to each program. They also have an interesting history that mirrors ...