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At What Age Does Medicare Coverage Begin?

Medicare health insurance is a public benefit that the federal government provides to American citizens. If you pay Medicare tax, you are entitled to part of the Medicare coverage for free. If your spouse has paid these taxes, you are also entitled to these same benefits. Medicare is run by a federal entity known as the Social Security Administration.

  1. Medicare for Seniors

    • The general age for enrollment in Medicare is 65. Anyone who is age 65 or older may enroll in Medicare. If you paid Medicare tax, you do not need to pay for Medicare Part A coverage, which is hospital insurance. However, if you have not paid Medicare tax, you may pay monthly premiums for this coverage. At age 65, you become eligible to enroll in any Medicare coverage that you need as long as it is available where you live. Medicare Part A and Part B, which is medical insurance, provide the same benefits throughout the country, while Medicare Part C, which consists of private plans, and Part D, prescription drug plans, vary from one place to another.

    Medicare for Disabled People

    • If you are disabled and you receive Social Security disability benefits, you are eligible to receive Medicare at any age. However, your Medicare benefits due to disability only start on the 25th month of disability benefits. For example, if you are 40 years old and your disability benefits started when you were 39 years old, Medicare coverage starts when you turn 41. When your Medicare benefits start, you can enroll in any Medicare coverage you need as long as you can pay for it. Medicare Part A is free for people enrolled in disability benefits.

    Social Security Disability

    • Receiving Social Security disability benefits makes you eligible to receive Medicare benefits at an age younger than 65. However, you must qualify for these benefits before your Medicare starts. To qualify for disability benefits, your disability must be considered severe. "Severe" means that you are not able to work due to your condition. It also means that your disability must last at least 12 months or cause death. Benefits do not start until the sixth month from the time you became disabled. The two years you must wait to receive Medicare benefits start from the moment disability benefits start, not from the moment you became disabled.

    Enrolling in Medicare

    • If you qualify for Medicare due to your disability benefits, you are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B. If you turn 65 and you have already retired, you are also automatically enrolled in Part A and Part B. However, if you turn 65 and you are not yet receiving retirement benefits, you must contact the Social Security office to enroll in the Medicare coverage you want. You can call the number provided in the handbook Medicare & You (see Resources), or you can enroll online.

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