Answer:
To qualify for Medicaid, one must meet criteria based on income levels, specifically whether they fall below or near the poverty line. Medicaid eligibility varies by state, but typically includes low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled. The ACA attempted to expand access, but not all states have adopted these expansions.
Step-by-step explanation:
To qualify for Medicaid, one must meet eligibility criteria based on income levels. Medicaid is a health insurance program that's designed to provide coverage for people with low-income, including those below and near the poverty line. This program focuses on assisting low-income families with children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Noteworthy is that Medicaid eligibility can vary across different states due to their different income thresholds and program expansions, which allow states to cover individuals earning up to 135% or even 185% of the poverty line.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 aimed to make Medicaid more accessible by providing additional federal funding to states that agreed to raise their minimum income requirements. However, not all states accepted this deal, resulting in a disparity in coverage across the nation. Furthermore, eligibility for Medicaid also includes specific federal requirements such as mandatory coverage for the blind, the disabled, and children through the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), for families with incomes below the poverty level.