Final answer:
Medicaid, established in 1965, is a program jointly funded by the federal and state governments to provide medical insurance to low-income people. Each state manages its own Medicaid program, causing variations in coverage. Eligible children residing in families with incomes at or below the federal poverty line are covered by Medicaid until they reach age 19.
Step-by-step explanation:
Medicaid is a federal-state joint program that was enacted in 1965 to provide medical insurance for certain low-income individuals, including the near-poor, and those below the poverty line, focusing on families with children, the low-income elderly, and the disabled. This program varies by state, with each state determining its eligibility standards and levels of benefits, leading to differences in Medicaid coverage across the country. States are required to extend Medicaid eligibility to all children born after the implementation of this requirement who reside in families with incomes at or below the federal poverty line, ensuring that they have medical coverage until they reach the age of 19.
The poverty line is defined as the specific amount of income one requires for a basic standard of living. The federal government requires coverage for the blind, the disabled, and children under the Children's Health Insurance Program if the family's income is below this threshold. With health reform laws and expanded eligibility, Medicaid coverage has become accessible to a wider range of the poorest Americans, including able-bodied adults under 65 who earn no more than 133 percent of the federal poverty level.