Differentiate between Medicare and Medicaid as national programs

Medicare and Medicaid are national health care programs. Medicare primarily serves the elderly, and Medicaid serves indigent populations. With about 63 million enrollees, Medicaid serves more patients than Medicare, which has about 54 million beneficiaries. Medicare pays doctors, on average, about 80 percent of what private insurance pays. However, Medicaid pays a much lower rate, about 56 percent.