What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?

MEDICARE vs MEDICAID: MEDICARE: FEDERAL health insurance program primarily for: people 65 and OLDER; certain younger people with DISABILITIES; people with End-Stage Renal Disease/ALS; based on AGE/disability (not income); PARTS: A (hospital), B (medical), C (Medicare Advantage), D (prescription drugs); MEDICAID: JOINT FEDERAL-STATE program providing coverage for LOW-INCOME individuals and families; eligibility based on INCOME/NEED (and category — children, pregnant women, elderly, disabled); administered by states within federal guidelines (eligibility and benefits vary by state); MEMORY AID: MedicARE for the AGED (65+); MedicAID for those who need AID (low income); DUAL ELIGIBLE: Some people qualify for both; MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT (Medigap): Private insurance to cover Medicare's gaps (deductibles, coinsurance); understanding the distinction — Medicare (federal, age/disability-based) vs Medicaid (federal-state, income/need-based) — is fundamental health insurance exam content on government programs.