Medicare, Medicaid target different groups
Published 6:33 am Sunday, May 15, 2016
<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid, and what are the requirements to be eligible for them?</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">In general, Medicare is a federal health insurance program for the elderly, and Medicaid is a state-federal health insurance program for the poor and disabled.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The basic requirement for the first is an age threshold — 65 — and the basic requirement for the second is an income threshold, as measured by the federal poverty level.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Medicare enrollment for hospital and medical coverage in the six-parish area in March, according to the latest data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services:</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Allen — 4,069.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Beauregard — 7,227.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Calcasieu — 35,904.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Cameron — 573.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Jeff Davis — 5,565.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Vernon — 7,145.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Medicare enrollment for prescription drug coverage in March:</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Allen — 2,884.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Beauregard — 4,553.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Calcasieu — 24,463.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Cameron — 372.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Jeff Davis — 4,044.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Vernon — 3,572.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Total Medicaid enrollment in the six-parish area in April, according to the latest data from the state health department:</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Allen — 7,088.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Beauregard — 10,061.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Calcasieu — 56,580.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Cameron — 698.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Jeff Davis — 9,144.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Vernon — 11,123.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">For more information on Medicare, call 800-633-4227; the TTY number is 877-486-2048.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">For more information on Medicaid, call the state Department of Health and Hospitals at 888-342-6207. The line is available 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.</span>
<span class="R~sep~AHeadsubhead">Expansion</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The state will expand enrollment for Medicaid on June 1 to include uninsured adults who don’t now qualify for the program but earn less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level — $316 a week for an individual and $645 a week for a family of four.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The following sites will provide assistance with expansion enrollment, according to Close the Gap Louisiana, a Louisiana Budget Project initiative:</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Allen</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Allen Parish Council on Aging, 602 East Fifth Ave., Oakdale; 318-335-3195.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Allen Behavioral Health Clinic, 402 Industrial Drive, Oberlin; 337-639-3001.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Allen Parish Hospital, 108 Sixth Ave., Kinder; 337-738-2527.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Beauregard</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Beauregard Parish Health Unit, 216 Evangeline St., DeRidder; 337-463-4486.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Beauregard-Vernon Crisis Pregnancy Center, 420 McMahon, DeRidder; 337-460-9500.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Calcasieu</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Calcasieu Parish Health Unit, 3236 Kirkman St.; 478-6020.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Calcasieu Council on Aging, 3950 La. 14; 474-2583.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Christus St. Patrick Hospital, 524 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive; 491-7796.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Lake Area Medical Center, 4200 Nelson Road; 474-6370.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Lake Charles Behavioral Health Clinic, 4105 Kirkman St.; 475-8022.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, 1701 Oak Park Blvd.; 494-3123.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Moss Memorial Health Clinic, 1000 Walters St.; 480-8100.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Lake Charles Memorial business office, 3050 Aster St.; 494-6458.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Mossville Truth Tabernacle Pentecostal Church, 1400 Gerstner Memorial Drive; 721-8100.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">SWLA Center for Health Services, 2000 Opelousas St.; 439-9983.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital, 701 East Cypress St., Sulphur; 527-7034.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital satellite office, 1200 Stelly Lane, Sulphur; 528-4714.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Southwest Louisiana AHEC, 196 Williamsburg St.; 478-4822.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Jeff Davis</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Jeff Davis Parish Health Unit, 403 Baker St., Jennings; 337-824-8784.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Jennings American Legion Hospital, 1634 Elton Road, Jennings; 337-616-7000.</span>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.cms.gov; http://dhh.louisiana.gov; www.healthy.la.gov.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">The I</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nform</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">er answers questions from rea</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ders each Sunday, Monday a</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nd Wednesday. It is re</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">searched and written by</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Andrew Perzo</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">, an</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">American Press</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">staff wri</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ter. To ask a question, call</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">494-409</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">8 and leave voice mail, or ema</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">il informer@americanpress.com.</span>
