Final answer:
Medicaid is a federal and state-funded health insurance program created in 1965 to aid low-income families, the disabled, and the elderly. States administer Medicaid separately, leading to varying coverage and eligibility criteria across the U.S. The ACA aimed to standardize these criteria, with mixed participation from states.
Step-by-step explanation:
Medicaid was created in 1965, forming an essential part of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society initiatives. This federal program provides health insurance to low-income Americans, including the disabled, families with children, and the elderly. Each state administers its own Medicaid program, which means eligibility requirements and levels of service can vary significantly from state to state. The federal government funds a portion of Medicaid, with states covering the remainder. Protocols for handling this insurance involve ensuring individuals fall within certain income categories and providing a comprehensive set of health benefits, although access to care may be limited due to lower reimbursements to providers compared to Medicare. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) attempted to standardize minimum income requirements by offering additional federal funding to states that expanded eligibility, although not all states chose to accept these terms.