Do you need Medicare if you have Medicaid?

If you qualify for Medicare you MUST take Medicare.

When you qualify for Medicare Medicare becomes primary and Medicaid becomes secondary. Medicaid WILL NOT pay the charges that Medicare will pay, so if you don't have Medicare you are responsible for those charges. For example, if the doctor bill is $100 Medicare pays $80 and Medicaid pays $20. If you don't have Medicare YOU pay $80 and then Medicaid will pay $20.

Also, if you qualify for Medicare Medicaid will no longer pay for any prescriptions so you'll have to pay for them.

However, if you qualify for Medicaid you'll also qualify for the state to pay your Medicare premiums. You'll probably also qualify for Low Income Subsidy which can pay all or part of your Part D prescription coverage and will lower the cost of your medications.

Your insurance agent can explain all of this to you. They can also let you know of additional coverage you can get, such as dental, free of charge if such plans are available in your area.

My wife is 48 and was living on a combination of SSI and SSDI before we got married. She is disabled, had no money, and had no resources. She was on both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare covers most things as it is primary in these cases. The secondary insurance, medicaid, picks up what Medicare doesn't pay for as well as pays for her Medicare premiums and deductables.

I do not think you can receive Medicare if you qualify for Medicare. Are you being offered Medicare? If so, you might have to give up Medicaid to take it...check it out with a Medicare representative I always thought Medicaid was for people who did not qualify for Medicare-in other words, did not work and needed aid (Medic-aid)?