A Profile of Dual-Eligible Individuals Authors: Abby Wolk, Nancy Ochieng, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, and Alice Burns Published: Jul 15, 2026

https://www.kff.org/medicare/a-profile-of-medicare-medicaid-enrollees-dual-eligibles/ Medicare and Medicaid provide health insurance coverage to tens of millions of people in the U.S. Medicaid is the nation’s largest public health insurance program for low-income Americans and the primary payer for long-term care. Approximately 12 million people are enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, referred to as dual-eligible individuals, receiving their primary health insurance coverage through Medicare and additional assistance from their state Medicaid program. Within this group, nearly 9 million people are “full-benefit” dual-eligible individuals, meaning they are eligible for Medicaid benefits that are not otherwise covered by Medicare, including long-term care, vision, and dental services. The remaining 3 million are “partial-benefit” dual-eligible individuals, and are only eligible for assistance with Medicare premiums and, in many cases, cost sharing through the Medicare Savings Programs.