First few Article Sentences
With more than 10 million people in America now eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, an initiative of the Affordable Care Act is connecting the two programs, to work together. This initiative is known as the Dual Eligible Program.
Dual Eligibles, also called Duals, are a diverse group of people, many of whom require complex care. Many have multiple chronic illnesses, battle substance abuse or depression. Most will need long-term care at some point in their lives. Dual Eligibles comprise 15 percent of all Medicaid enrollees, but account for nearly 40 percent of all costs. For Medicare, Duals represent 20 percent of all enrollees and more than 30 percent of costs.