✅ Reviewed for accuracy and relevance by Deanna Cooper Gillingham, RN, CCM, FCM on June 26, 2025.
Public benefits programs include SSDI, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE (CHAMPUS). Below is a chart noting the differences between SSI, SSDI, Medicare, and Medicaid. Each is described in more detail on their own page.
| SSDI | SSI | MEDICARE | MEDICAID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash benefit | Cash benefit | Medical benefit | Medical benefit |
| Benefits based on earnings | Benefits based on need | Benefits based on earnings | Benefits based on need |
| Financed by employer and wage contributions | Finance by general revenues | Financed by employer and wage contributions | Finance by general revenues |
| No income limit | Limited income | No income limit | Limited income |
| No resource limit | Limited resources | No resource limit | Limited resources |
| Must have enough work credits | No work credits required | Must have enough work credits | No work credits required |
| Medicare is medical benefit | Medicaid is medical benefit | SSDI is financial benefit | SSI is financial benefit |
| Provides benefits to eligible family members | No family benefit | ||
| Benefit amount based on average lifetime earnings | Benefit amount based on Federal and State laws | ||
| BENEFIT TYPES | BENEFIT TYPES | ||
| Retirement (age 62 & older) | Aged (age 65 and older) | ||
| Survivor | disability (any age, includes children | ||
| Disability (includes blindness) | Blindness (any age , includes children) |
Click below for more information on each public benefit program
