Before you begin the process of applying for Medicaid, it’s advisable to learn about the program. This may help you in the application process or even help you better understand the types of benefits for which you are eligible.  Medicaid and its partner program CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) give almost 60 million American some type of health coverage.  Medicaid and CHIP cover a wide range of individuals including children, pregnant women, parents, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.  Although a federal program, individual states handle Medicaid applications and programs.  Federal law requires that states cover certain population groups called “mandatory eligibility groups” while giving the states the option to cover other groups called “optional eligibility groups.” For example, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and children are considered mandatory groups. Optional groups include foster children and low income families. At the very least, you must be a citizen, permanent resident, or resident alien to qualify for Medicaid. Federal and state programs require you provide proof of this information in order to receive Medicaid. Be aware that these basic requirements can vary from state to state. In addition to the aforementioned basic requirements, there are many other criteria that you generally need meet to qualify for Medicaid. These criteria may include but are not limited to:  Your income. Income is measured against the Federal Poverty Level, or FPL. This number changes frequently, but was $29,700 for a family of four in 2011.   Pregnancy. Age. If you are 65 or older or are under the age of 21, you may qualify. Disability, including blindness. Current coverage or lack thereof. Children in your household. If you are the guardian of a minor, but have restricted income, you may qualify. Because individual states determine final eligibility and benefits for Medicaid, consult your home state’s Medicaid office either online or by phone.  State eligibility criteria sometimes differs. Even if you are not in one of the mandatory coverage groups, you may qualify for Medicaid under state law of optional coverage groups. Many states are expanding coverage, especially for children. Again, check the state requirements to see if your child might be eligible to apply and receive benefits even if you don’t. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provide contact information and links to each state’s respective Medicaid site. It is easy to be confused by questions about Medicaid and its eligibility. If you have any questions, you can contact local authorities or consult the Medicaid program’s website, who may be able to further assist you.  You can either visit the Medicaid website at www.medicaid.gov or visit your home state’s Medicaid website. In most cases, you can also find state resources on the Medicaid website at http://www.medicaid.gov/state-resource-center/medicaid-state-technical-assistance/medicaid-state-technical-assistance.html . You can also contact or visit one of the ten regional Centers for Medicare and Medicare if you have questions. Information on these ten sites is available at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Coding/ICD10/CMS-Regional-Offices  If you do not have access to the Internet from your home or prefer to speak to someone directly, you can call +1 (877) 267-2323. The United States government also allows potential Medicaid recipients to determine if they are eligible online. By accessing the website at https://www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-chip/ and entering your state, you may can get a quick response about your eligibility.  Simply enter your home state in the appropriate box and answer the series of questions to find out your preliminary Medicaid coverage determination.  This will determine if you are eligible based on income alone. For other criteria, you’ll need to fill out the application for your specific state.
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One-sentence summary -- Inform yourself about Medicaid. Verify you meet basic requirements. Confirm you meet other requirements. Consult your state Medicaid office. Contact local authorities. Establish eligibility online.


Adding exercise to your schedule may take some planning, but it won't be impossible. To get the benefits of the physical activity, schedule 150 minutes of exercise into your week.  Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or a combination of these.  Adolescents should get at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity each day. There are so many activities you can do for aerobic exercise. You can join intramural sports teams, go for walks with friends, or hit your college's gym. Make sure to think about whether you are doing moderate or vigorous intensity workouts.  Moderate physical activity includes brisk walking at three miles per hour or faster or bicycling slower than 10 miles per hour. You can also play doubles tennis, go ballroom dancing, or do general gardening. Vigorous intensity workouts include race walking, jogging, or running or cycling faster than 10 miles per hour. You can also swim laps, play singles tennis, do aerobic dancing, jump rope, or hike with a heavy backpack or uphill.  Many gym classes provide excellent opportunities for vigorous and moderate exercise. Any aerobic activity should be performed for at least 10 minutes at a time to gain brain-boosting benefits. You should also spread it out throughout the week to keep your brain focused and sharp. Committing to an exercise program to help your studies may be difficult at first. Keep in mind the mental and cognitive benefits of the exercise and how it will help improve your school performance.  Sit down and list all your commitments, activities, and study hours. Don't forget to list sleep times, meal times, and time for other things, like showering. Look for places you can incorporate exercise. Don't forget to count daily exercise. If you walk 10 or more minutes to class or work, this counts as aerobic physical activity. If you can start walking to class, make that one of your changes. Choose something that you believe you will enjoy and that can easily be placed into your schedule. If you have trouble finding time to workout, consider going out for a 30 minute jog or dancing around your room for half an hour. Breaking up exercises into smaller increments, such as three 10-minute fast-paced walks, can offer brain-boosting benefits if you struggle fitting exercise into your day. Consistent daily workouts, or workouts that coincide with your studying and classes, are more effective than trying to get 150 minutes of physical activity in on the weekend. The consistent physical activity throughout the week will boost your brain during the week, closer to when you study, instead of isolating it on the weekend. If you have class three times a week and study on those days, try to go for at least a 30 minute walk or jog before you go back to your room to study. If you go to school every day for eight hours, spend half an hour to an hour after school lets out doing something physical, then study after you get home. Exercise is great for relieving stress and reducing anxiety. Therefore, try not to make the physical activity a stressful part of your day. Allow yourself the time to take care of yourself. Remember, though you are not studying or working when you exercise, you are helping to boost your overall studying effectiveness.  Listen to music while exercising. Numerous studies have linked music to stress relief and the reduction of anxiety. While out for your walk, listen to music that either relaxes you or makes you happy.  Exercise with a friend. This can do two things at once: get physical activity into your day while letting you socialize, which can help boost your mood and reduce stress.
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One-sentence summary --
Determine an appropriate amount of exercise. Choose an aerobic exercise. Make time for your workout. Focus on consistency. Make the exercise an enjoyable experience.