Medicaid: A Fact Sheet

Publication Date: July 2003

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Health

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Abstract:

Medicaid is the largest of the joint federal/state entitlement programs. The program provides payments for health care for certain groups of low-income individuals. Medicaid can be thought of as three distinct programs: one program funds long-term care for chronically ill, disabled, and aged individuals; another provides comprehensive health insurance for low-income children and families; and the disproportionate share (DSH) program assists hospitals with the cost of uncompensated care. In 2000, the most recent year for which enrollment data is available, there were 44.3 million Medicaid enrollees. Total program spending in FY2000 was almost $206.1 billion. The federal share of the cost for the same year was $116.9 billion.