A health insurance program that serves low-income individuals and families who are unable to afford health care costs is Medicaid. Parents, children, seniors, and anyone with a disability are served by Medicaid (NCDHHS, 2014). Medicaid is a federally mandated and state-administered program and is jointly funded by the federal and state governments to provide medical care to qualified individuals (Green & Rowell, 2013). The federal government develops guidelines, but each state has its own rules. Each state may require someone to pay part of the cost of some of its services (MedlinePlus, 2014). People have different needs and so there are different types of coverage for them (NCDHHS, 2014). There are certain requirements to qualify for Medicaid. These requirements include a person's age, whether they are pregnant, disabled, or blind, their income and resources, and whether or not they are a U.S. citizen (MedlinePlus, 2014). Eligibility varies by state. A person who is eligible for Medicaid in one state may not be eligible for Medicaid in another state. Services may also be different in each state, and state legislatures may change Medicaid eligibility requirements throughout the year (Green & Rowell, 2013). A person who is automatically eligible for Medicaid is if they receive Supplemental Security Income, Work First Assistance, State/County Special Assistance for the Elderly or Disabled, and Special Assistance for the Blind ( NCDHHS, 2014). It is important to understand that Medicaid does not provide medical assistance to all poor people. There are three groups eligible for Medicaid. These three groups are the categorically needy, medically needy, and special groups (Green & Rowell, 201...... middle of document ......al home strategy for bringing new Medicaid enrollees into a managed and relationship-based health care program (Dickson, 2014). Works Cited Dickson, V. (March 17, 2014). /go.galegroup.com.ezp-. sition=1&contentSetGreen, MA and Rowell, (2013). What is Medicaid. Retrieved April 18, 2014 from ncdhhs: http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/medicaid./