America's Medicaid program provides medical assistance for individuals and families with low incomes and/or few resources. The program began in 1965 and is now the largest source of funding for medical and health-related services for people with limited income. Today, the program covers 53 million people, nearly one in every six Americans, and costs $300 billion a year in federal and state funds. In fact, Medicaid in some states accounts for more than one-third of the overall budget (Galt, 2005, 1). The program undoubtedly has a major impact on America, but overall it is more damaging to patients and medical providers than it is beneficial. Yes, medical assistance for those with limited incomes is important; however, Medicaid is not effectively providing medical assistance where it is absolutely essential.
The Medicaid program can, at times, significantly help individuals in need of medical assistance. With medications often costing upwards of one hundred dollars for a single months supply, Medicaid's maximum co-payment of three dollars can literally be a lifesaver to those without a job and/or insurance. Unfortunately, it can also be as a means to obtain unnecessary medication at taxpayer's expense. More often than not, people being placed on Medicaid greatly increase their number of monthly prescriptions (Galt, 2005, 1). In a recent glimpse of five randomly selected patients, four added three or more medications per month when they began their coverage. By working as a pharmacy technician for over a year, I have seen many patients being dispensed ten or more medications every month for medically debatable diagnoses. People, who in the past had to pay out of pocket, could very easily perceive the ability to obtain unlimited medication virtually free of charge as something to take advantage of. By far, the worst monetary aspect of Medicaid deals with payment