Medicaid Head Office
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850
United States
Medicaid Customer Service
Phone: 877-267-2323
Phone: 410-786-3000
Phone: 866-226-1819 (TTY)
Phone: 410-786-7887 (Mail Services)
Phone: 1-800-318-2596 (Marketplace)
Regional Contacts
Boston: 617-565-1299
New York: 212-616-2400
Philadelphia: 215-861-4155
Atlanta: 404-562-7359
Chicago: 312-353-1133
Dallas: 214-767-6495
Kansas: 816-426-5925
Denver: 303-844-2111
San Francisco: 415-744-3568
Seattle: 206-615-2326
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About Medicaid
Medicaid is a US federal program for low-income families that cannot afford medical care. It was first introduced in 1965 under President Lyndon B Johnson. Each state establishes its own standards for Medicaid eligibility, benefits and provider payment rates. Children, pregnant women, low-income parents, seniors, and people with disabilities can benefit out of the program.
States review eligibility requirements every 12 months after considering the financial circumstances. States have the option to charge premiums and to establish cost sharing requirements. Since 2014, individuals under age 65 in families with incomes below 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) is also eligible for Medicaid. The program is monitored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Millions of needy parents, children, elderly and persons with disabilities benefit from the Medicaid program across the US. As of 2014, some 72.5 million people were enrolled in the program. Only certain groups of very low-income people are able to enroll in the program. The care received include physician and hospital visits, well-child visits and treatment, immunizations, dental, vision, and hearing services. Mandatory benefits include inpatient hospital services, outpatient hospital services, home health services, laboratory and X-ray services, family planning services and transportation to medical care. Optional benefits include prescription drugs, clinic services, physical therapy, speech/hearing services, prosthetics, dentures, eyeglasses, other practitioner services, personal care, hospice and private duty nursing services.
Over half of Medicaid enrollees are children. Being the largest children’s health program, it currently serves over 33 million children across the country. The program also provides health coverage to 11 million non-elderly low-income parents, pregnant women, and other non-disabled adults. There are over 8.8 million non-elderly enrollees with disabilities and 4.6 million low-income seniors.
Twenty-four states currently do not offer Medicaid coverage to low-income adults to ages 19 through 64. There is the Basic Health Program (BHP), a health benefits coverage program for low-income residents that do not qualify for Medicaid. And the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides health coverage to eligible children. Funded jointly by states and the federal government, the benefits include Medicaid’s standard Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) services, among others.
If yet to apply, you can fill out an application through the Health Insurance Marketplace. The information will be submitted to your state agency that will revert if you qualify. If any member in your family isn’t eligible, you will get a notice explaining the same. You can also check here if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period or for Medicaid or CHIP. Application can be submitted online. You can contact your local Medicaid agency to get details on enrollment card, to locate a doctor who accepts Medicaid, or to have other concerns addressed. For more information, queries or complaints, reach the Medicaid customer service via phone or email.
