### Question
How does SOCIAL SECURITY define medical assistance?


### Answer
Under *42 U.S.C. § 1396d*, **medical assistance** is defined as:

> payment of part or all of the cost of the following care and services or the care and services themselves, or both (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), 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, or part A of subchapter IV, and with respect to whom supplemental security income benefits are not being paid under subchapter XVI, 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,


(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,


(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,


(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,


(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,


(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,


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


(xii) employed individuals with a medically improved disability (as defined in subsection (v)),


(xiii) individuals described in section 1396a(aa) of this title,


(xiv) individuals described in section 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(VIII) or 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(IX) of this title,


(xv) individuals described in section 1396a(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XX) of this title,


(xvi) individuals described in section 1396a(ii) of this title, or


(xvii) individuals who are eligible for home and community-based services under needs-based criteria established under paragraph (1)(A) of section 1396n(i) of this title, or who are eligible for home and community-based services under paragraph (6) of such section, and who will receive home and community-based services pursuant to a State plan amendment under such subsection,


  

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**

