Vic's question was with regard to living off the "public dollar"?

I don't understand the American system, but this is what I found on the internet:

"Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are either age 65 and over, or who meet other special criteria."

"In general, individuals are eligible for Medicare if they are a U.S. citizen or have been a permanent legal resident for 5 continuous years, and they are 65 years or older, or they are under 65, disabled and have been receiving either Social Security (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)) or the Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for at least 24 months, or they get continuing dialysis for permanent kidney failure or need a kidney transplant, or they are eligible for Social Security (disability) and have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS-Lou Gehrig's disease)."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicar...ited_States%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_...ited_States%29

Social Insurance is defined as:

Social insurance is any government-sponsored program with the following four characteristics:

- the benefits, eligibility requirements and other aspects of the program are defined by statute;
- explicit provision is made to account for the income and expenses (often through a trust fund);
- it is funded by taxes or premiums paid by (or on behalf of) participants (although additional sources of funding may be provided as well); and
- the program serves a defined population, and participation is either compulsory or the program is heavily enough subsidized that most eligible individuals choose to participate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_insurance

This seems to imply that a person needs to be deemed disabled, and receiving SS benefits of some sort.

Vic, I'm not sure if this is what you are talking about, or if it is Medicaid . . .?

"Medicaid is the United States health program for individuals and families with low incomes and resources. Among the groups of people served by Medicaid are eligible low-income parents, children, seniors, and people with disabilities. Being poor, or even very poor, does not necessarily qualify an individual for Medicaid.[2] Medicaid is the largest source of funding for medical and health-related services for people with limited income."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicaid

If it is Medicare you are thinking about, which means you have been deemed "disabled", it doesn't seem to matter how much money you have in assets. Unless of course they get you from that angle when you apply for SS . . .?

Cherie