One of the most common questions people have once they are introduced to this topic is in regards to the difference between Medicaid and Medicare.
For many people, the recent health care debates have actually confused the issues more than they have cleared them up. The reason for this is that politicians, writers, and pundits on both sides of the aisle have very different opinions on health care and what the government’s responsibility is to the citizens. No matter where you stand, you probably would like to have an objective description, this way you can make your own decisions regarding what to believe. It probably seems, however, like every time you read some information about health care, you get conflicting facts.
To begin with, these programs, Medicaid and Medicare, are similar in that they both use federal money to support citizens who may have trouble paying for health care themselves. Medicare, however, is a program for America’s senior citizens. This is a program that was introduced to help elderly people who may be out of work, yet who have many medical expenses for treatments, surgeries, and prescription drugs. The truth is the most politicians, no matter how they identify themselves, will believe that Medicare is a good idea. There might be some discussion has to how much money should be set aside for Medicare and how the funds should be managed, but almost everyone believes that this program is essential for America’s seniors.
Medicaid is a program that is designed to give health care to those who are from low income households. This is a program that is much more controversial than Medicare on several different levels. Many politicians believe that it is not the job of taxpayers to support the health care of those with less money. Others believe that by providing the poor with health care, our country is increasing its health and chances for success in the long term. In order to make a decision about Medicaid, you should read about many different perspectives and look at different facts and figures.
Health care in this country is very complex and there are many nuanced and detailed perspectives and different reasons for supporting different programs. The truth of the matter, however, is that if you really want to join in the discussion, you will have to do some research and find out how much money is spent on these programs, what kinds of services are offered, and how much the country benefits from them.
