This primer provides an overview of the basic components of Medicaid, the nation's largest health coverage program, which covers nearly 60 million low-income individuals, including children and families, people with disabilities and seniors who are also covered by Medicare. Medicaid also is the dominant source of the country’s long-term care financing.

The primer examines how the program is structured, who it covers, what services it provides, and how much it costs. It also provides an overview of how Medicaid will change and significantly expand as it plays a key role in the new health reform law, serving as the mechanism to provide coverage to millions of previously uninsured low-income adults and children.

Medicaid is jointly financed by the federal government and the states, and the states administer the program within broad federal guidelines. As a result, programs currently vary across states. The primer includes tables examining the state-to-state variation in eligibility, enrollment, and spending for Medicaid enrollees.

Primer (.pdf)

Previous Versions:

 December 2008 (.pdf)

 March 2007 (.pdf)

 July 2005 (.pdf)