Medicare is a federal health insurance program designed for people who are 65 of age and older OR people who are under 65 with certain disabilities. Eligibility for Medicare is the uniform in all states.
Medicaid is a federal health insurance program administered by the states using federal, state and local funds to provide medical coverage for people who meet its requirements. Eligibility for Medicaid changes from state to state. It is possible to qualifty for both Medicare and Medicaid. People who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid are known as "dual eligibles."