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 Medicaid - What If This System Is Necessary To determine if you may even need to qualify for Medicaid, it is important to have an overview of what services and benefits are covered by this program. State law will vary and make predicting actual coverages a hazardous guess at best, but by having knowledge of the general impetus of the Medicaid provisions, you can easily verify your understanding with your state's law. Generally, all types of physician care, including surgical services, and in many cases dental services which would be performed by a physician are covered. All types of tests, diagnostics, and other lab and x-ray services are covered. In addition, Medicaid covers such services as transportation to and from medical treatment or services, home health services, medical supplies and appliances, nursing home services, and related services. Medicaid also covers inpatient and outpatient hospital services. Specific services can be obtained from your state, but many states further include such services as rehabilitative services, prescription drugs, dental services, chiropractic care, nurses, hospice care, even if long-term, and similar services. Medicaid coverage is often broad and may even include alcohol and drug treatment, and personal care for daily home living such as toiletries, cooking, bathing, dressing and others. Recall that most of these services are either not covered under Medicare, of it they are, are covered for substantially more limited time periods. Medicaid must provide all services which are "medically necessary." Thus, there are few limits to the coverage afforded by Medicaid. However, due to skyrocketing medical care costs, many states are now imposing many limits on actual treatments and coverages and requiring more pre-approval of medical treatments. Despite these utilization limits imposed, the coverage of Medicaid is extremely broad. For this reason, many attorneys are consulted by parents or children with elderly parents, to determine if their situation enables them to be covered under Medicaid, even if they already have access to Medicare or Medicare insurance.
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