Medicaid Fast Facts

For more than 74 million children and adults across the U.S., Medicaid coverage helps keep them healthy or cares for them during vulnerable times of illness.

• A temporary helping hand: Medicaid often fills the coverage gap for a short time to help people get on their feet. 
  
  
• Affordable coverage for working people: Medicaid covers working people who don’t have employer insurance or don’t make enough money to afford private insurance. 
  
  
• Covers many working people: Six in 10 adults with Medicaid coverage are working. (not disabled or elderly)
  
  
• Care for veterans: Nearly one in 10 veterans have Medicaid coverage. 
  
  
• Coverage for low-income women: In 2014, Medicaid covered more than 25 million low-income women with health and long-term care benefits. More than half of these women work outside the home. 
  
  
• Coverage for women who are disabled: One in three women with disabilities are covered by Medicaid.
  
  
• Cares for fragile seniors: Medicaid supports 62 percent of all seniors in nursing homes – our parents and grandparents. 
  
  
• Helps seniors and others with Medicare costs: About 10 million seniors and younger people with disabilities, or 1 in 5 Medicare beneficiaries, get help from Medicaid as well. 
  
  
• Covers services not available in Medicare: Medicaid covers long-term care in nursing facilities and community care in seniors’ homes, which are not covered by Medicare. 
  
  
• Prevents suicide: Medicaid covers more mental health services than any other insurer. 
  
  
• Help with addiction: Medicaid provides treatment for four out of 10 people with opioid addiction. 
  
  
• Ensures healthy babies: nearly 50 percent of all births are covered by Medicaid. 
  
  
• Prevents infant deaths: Medicaid has contributed to dramatic declines in infant and child mortality in our country since the 1960s. 
  
  
• Medicaid covers more than 1 in 3 children: Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program cover 39 percent of children in the U.S.
  
  
• Supports vulnerable children: Medicaid covers nearly half of children, about 6 million, who have special health care needs.
  
  
• Helps children with mental health needs: 42 states cover primary care for children’s mental health. More than 3 million children benefit from these services.
  
  
• Care for foster kids: Most foster children depend on Medicaid for their health care.