Medical Programs
General Assistance Medical
Care (GAMC):
GAMC provides medical care for a monthly average of 33,000 (FY 2007) low-income Minnesotans who don’t qualify for MA or other state and federal programs – primarily low-income adults, ages 21 and 64, who do not have any dependent children.
Some GAMC applicants and clients are enrolled in Transitional Minnesota Care instead of GAMC.
Medical Assistance (MA):
MA is the largest of the health care programs, providing health care coverage and prescription medication coverage for a monthly average of 507,000 low-income senior citizens, children and families, and people with disabilities in fiscal year (FY) 2007.
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administers Medicaid nationwide. In Minnesota, the Department of Human Services oversees the program, and eligibility is administered by the counties.
Children, parents and pregnant women make up the largest MA group; elderly or people who have a disability make up the remaining.
Emergency Medical Assistance (EMA):
Non-citizen applicants or enrollees who are not eligible for federally funded Medical Assistance (MA) or, in some cases, state-funded MA (program NW), may be eligible for Emergency Medical Assistance (program EH) if they have a medical emergency.
Minnesota Care:
Minnesota Care is a publicly subsidized program for Minnesota residents who don’t have access to affordable health care coverage.
Residents (except for some children) are not eligible if their employer offers health insurance and pays at least half of the monthly cost.
Minnesota Care is funded by a tax on hospitals and health care providers, federal Medicaid matching funds and enrollee premiums.
Minnesota Care has been critical to Minnesota’s welfare reform strategy, helping people leave welfare and go to work without losing health care coverage.
Enrollee premiums are determined according to a sliding-fee scale based on family size and income.