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Can a Retired Person Get on Medicare at Age 64?

Medicare is public health insurance for senior citizens who have retired and are at least 65 years of age or for people who are disabled or blind. Medicare helps eligible members pay for the costs of hospitals (Part A), doctors (Part B), additional treatments not covered in Part A or Part B, such as vision, hearing and dental (Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage), and prescription drugs (Part D).

  1. Medicare Eligibility

    • To receive Medicare benefits for free (Part A only), you or your spouse must have paid Medicare taxes through your employment years. Otherwise, you can purchase Medicare. Only people older than 65 years of age are entitled to receive Part A for free or are allowed to purchase Part A. People who are younger than 65 years of age cannot have Medicare unless they are disabled or blind and have received Social Security Disability benefits for a period of at least 24 months. If you are retired and you are 64 years old, you can get Medicare benefits if you are receiving disability benefits. If you are not disabled, you do not yet qualify for Medicare; it does not matter if you have already retired.

    Disability Benefits

    • If you are 64 years of age and disabled (or blind) and you have received Social Security Disability benefits for 24 months before you were 64 years of age, you are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B. This means that you must start receiving disability benefits when you are 62 years old. However, the Social Security Disability program does not start paying benefits to eligible people until their sixth month of disability. To receive Medicare when you are 64 years of age, you must be disabled at age 63 or younger. (Or you must have applied for SSD benefits at age 63.)

    Medicare Enrollment Period

    • If you are not disabled at age 63, your Medicare benefits do not start until you are 65 years old. If you are already retired when you reach 65 years of age, you are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B, and your coverage starts on the first of your month of birth. If you are not yet retired and you do not receive any Social Security benefits, you must sign up for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday. You have until three full months after your 65th birthday to sign up for Medicare without penalties.

    Social Security Disability

    • If you are disabled or blind, you can apply to receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. If you are approved, you are also eligible to receive Medicare, as explained above. However, to qualify to receive SSD benefits, you must have enough Social Security credits. You earn credits when you work and pay Social Security tax. The amount of credits you need depends upon your age when you became disabled. Also, your condition must be severe enough to make you unable to perform work in a regular manner, and it must last at least a full year or be diagnosed as terminal.

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