And so people applying for MassHealth are in many cases also applying for Medicaid. In Massachusetts, that agency is of course MassHealth. In addition to the elderly, Medicaid can also provide coverage for disabled persons needing long term care.Īlthough Medicaid comes primarily from federal funds, one should remember that the program is administered by state agencies. Of course, Medicaid planning addresses the asset and spending strategy that individuals and families can take prior to liquidating large amounts of money on the private payment of such care. Because the cost of a nursing home in Massachusetts averages approximately $9,000 to $10,000 a month, most elderly individuals of modest means will qualify financially for long term care benefits under Medicaid fairly quickly. One of the main (and fastest growing) services administered by Medicaid provides for benefits to elderly individuals requiring long term care, specifically those who need 24 hour care in a nursing home. The law generally requires that a person have less than $2,000 in assets if he is applying for Medicaid benefits due to lack of resources. The program provides emergency care to those who are without assets, but it also covers general care needed for certain vulnerable populations like children, parents of children, pregnant women and unborn children. Medicaid is the federal government’s welfare, or safety net, plan for people who are without the necessary means to pay for essential medical care. This system was used as a model for the nationwide healthcare plan known also as the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” or “Obamacare.” In that sense it is a system that covers all insured persons within the state. However this description of MassHealth sounds, the truth is that the question has no easy answer, since benefits and services under MassHealth are often changing with rising costs and changing client needs. In the words of its mission statement, MassHealth “provides comprehensive health insurance – or help in paying for private health insurance-to more than one million Massachusetts children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities.” In addition, MassHealth is the second largest insurer in the state. ![]() MassHealth is basically the consumer branch of the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services. What is MassHealth and What are the Benefits? ![]() This article will hopefully clear up some of this uncertainty. To add to this Medi-soup, and in true Commonwealth fashion, Massachusetts felt the need to add another agency name to the mix. Most of this confusion stems from the name similarities Medicaid and Medicare, both of which are the federal programs available in each state. One of the most confusing issues, and fundamental questions, that people in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have regarding medical care concerns the differences among Medicaid, Medicare and MassHealth.
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