Medicaid coverage leads to better health outcomes for participants—saving lives, lowering health care costs, making childbirth safer, reducing medical debt, and helping strengthen state economies.
A lifeline for people at every stage of life, Medicaid provides affordable health coverage for more than 79 million people with low incomes or disabilities throughout the United States. For 60 years, Medicaid has been an important part of America’s social safety net, a partnership funded by the federal government and states. For those who qualify, it covers a range of care including childbirth, routine medical services, support for those with disabilities, and nursing home care for older adults.
Medicaid strengthens communities for everyone, even those not covered by the program. It is a bedrock of state and local economies, supporting healthcare jobs and providing vital funding to hospitals, particularly in rural areas.