Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including children, pregnant women, parents, seniors and people with disabilities. In some states the program covers all low-income adults below a certain income level.

Medical Assistance is Minnesota’s Medicaid program. It is the largest of Minnesota’s publicly funded health care programs, providing health care coverage to a monthly average of 1.1 million low-income Minnesotan. Of the total enrollment, about:

• 65 percent are families with children
• 17 percent are seniors and people with disabilities
• 18 percent are adults without children

Most members get their health care through health plans. They can choose a health plan from those serving Medical Assistance members in their county. The rest of members get care on a fee-for-service basis, with providers billing the state directly for services provided.

Medical Assistance pays for a variety of services, such as doctor visits, prescriptions and hospital stays. Some services and prescriptions may require prior approval.

For some members there is no cost for Medical Assistance. Others may have to to pay part of the cost of a service. This may include copays, deductibles, or spenddowns.

View a summary of covered services and costs.

Medical Assistance is funded with federal, state and county funds. The Minnesota Department of Human Services oversees the program statewide with eligibility also administered by county offices and tribes. The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid nationally.