### Question
How is the term medical assistance defined?


### Answer
The term **medical assistance** is defined in *42 U.S.C. § 1396d* as the following:

> payment of part or all of the cost of the following care and services (if provided in or after the third month before the month in which the recipient makes application for assistance or, in the case of medicare cost-sharing with respect to a qualified medicare beneficiary described in subsection (p)(1) of this section, if provided after the month in which the individual becomes such a beneficiary) for individuals, and, with respect to physicians’ or dentists’ services, at the option of the State, to individuals (other than individuals with respect to whom there is being paid, or who are eligible, or would be eligible if they were not in a medical institution, to have paid with respect to them a State supplementary payment and are eligible for medical assistance equal in amount, duration, and scope to the medical assistance made available to individuals described in section 1396a(a)(10)(A) of this title) not receiving aid or assistance under any plan of the State approved under subchapter I, X, XIV, or XVI of this chapter, or part A of subchapter IV of this chapter, and with respect to whom supplemental security income benefits are not being paid under subchapter XVI of this chapter, who are—


(i) under the age of 21, or, at the option of the State, under the age of 20, 19, or 18 as the State may choose,


(ii) relatives specified in section 606(b)(1) [1](#1396d_1_target) of this title with whom a child is living if such child is (or would, if needy, be) a dependent child under part A of subchapter IV of this chapter,


(iii) 65 years of age or older,


(iv) blind, with respect to States eligible to participate in the State plan program established under subchapter XVI of this chapter,


(v) 18 years of age or older and permanently and totally disabled, with respect to States eligible to participate in the State plan program established under subchapter XVI of this chapter,


(vi) persons essential (as described in the second sentence of this subsection) to individuals receiving aid or assistance under State plans approved under subchapter I, X, XIV, or XVI of this chapter,


(vii) blind or disabled as defined in section 1382c of this title, with respect to States not eligible to participate in the State plan program established under subchapter XVI of this chapter,


(viii) pregnant women,


(ix) individuals provided extended benefits under section 1396r–6 of this title,


(x) individuals described in section 1396a(u)(1) of this title, or


(xi) individuals described in section 1396a(z)(1) of this title,


  

but whose income and resources are insufficient to meet all of such cost—


(1) inpatient hospital services (other than services in an institution for mental diseases)

#### Citation:
  - *42 U.S.C. § 1396d*
  - Heading: **CHAPTER 7-SOCIAL SECURITY > SUBCHAPTER XIX-GRANTS TO STATES FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS**

