Medicaid

American  

[med-i-keyd] / ˈmɛd ɪˌkeɪd /

noun

(sometimes lowercase)

1. a U.S. government program, financed by federal, state, and local funds, of hospitalization and medical insurance for persons of all ages within certain income limits.

---

Medicaid British  

/ ˈmɛdɪˌkeɪd /

noun

1. a health assistance programme financed by federal, state, and local taxes to help pay hospital and medical costs for persons of low income

---

Medicaid Cultural  

1. A state and federally funded program that reimburses healthcare providers for care given to qualifying people who cannot pay for their medical expenses.

---

Etymology

Origin of Medicaid

medic(al) + aid

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Medicaid

She is on Medicaid, is in poor health and owns a home with a reverse mortgage that has been used to help pay for her caregivers.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

In an effort to keep more people in their own homes and avoid the expense of a nursing home, Medicaid programs across the nation have been expanding their coverage of home care.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

Since 2020, federal Medicaid payments to the state have doubled to $134.5 billion, more than the general fund of any other state.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

It notified scandal-tarred Minnesota that it wouldn’t receive $259 million in Medicaid payments until it took steps to police bad actors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Her Appalachian childhood had acquainted her with government assistance, and she was a whiz with the Medicaid forms.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• Medicare