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MEDICARE AND MEDICAID
Medicare is a national health
insurance program for people aged 65 and older, some people
under age 65 with disabilities,
and people with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney
failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant). The
Medicare program consists of two parts. Part A covers hospital,
skilled
nursing facility, home health, and hospice care. Part B
covers doctors' services, outpatient hospital services,
and durable
medical equipment. Among the covered preventive services
are an annual mammogram, Pap smear, bone density scan,
and influenza vaccination.
In 2001, Medicare had over 40 million
enrollees, of whom 56.6 percent were female. The large
majority of all Medicare
enrollees were aged 65 and older, but this age group represented
a larger segment among female than male enrollees (89.1
compared to 82.2 percent). Females represented 45.6 percent
of the
356,319 enrolled in the Medicare End-Stage Renal Disease
program.
Medicaid provides coverage for eligible individuals
and families with low incomes/resources. Jointly funded
between Federal
and State governments, Medicaid covers approximately 40
million individuals including children, the aged, blind
and/or disabled,
and people who are eligible for cash assistance programs.
In 1999, slightly more than half of all Medicaid recipients
were female. Fifty-one percent of all Medicaid recipients
were under 21, 28.9 percent were between the ages of
21-64, and 10.7 were 65 and older (9.5 percent were unknown).
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