This is a monthly payment that is authorized and administered by the Social Security Agency. Individuals who qualify are people with limited income who are disabled, blind, or over the age of 65. Individuals who are blind or have a disability that are under the age 18 may also qualify for SSI. This is a means tested program because an individual must meet the requirements; there is no insured statuses, like Social Security, because the program is funded from the United States Treasury rather than a dedicated tax. 

Supplemental Security Income

Medicaid is a program that is funded by the Federal government and State governments. It is intended to provide health insurance coverage for qualifying individuals that include low income adults and children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. There are certain mandatory benefits Medicaid must cover but States are allowed to add and regulate their own Medicaid programs after the minimum requirements are applied. 

Medicaid

A means tested program is a program that limits eligibility by only allowing an individual or household to be qualified if their income and assets are below a certain threshold. Not all United States entitlements are means-tested.

Michigan State University

- Means Tested Benefits 
- Non-Means Tested Benefits 


Types of Benefits 

Means-Tested Programs. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.irp.wisc.edu/research/economic-support/means-tested-programs/#:~:text=Means-tested programs limit eligibility,determined threshold (means test).

Means-Tested Programs

Means Tested Benefits 

Non-means tested programs do not consider one's income or assets to determine eligibility for the program. 

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