Medicare for Disability Recipients

Medicare benefits are not only for those people who reach retirement age. People who fit in the definition of disability given by the Social Security office might also qualify and receive Medicare benefits. If this is your case, you can qualify to receive Medicare even if you're not 65 -- and your benefits will last for as long as your condition might last.

Medicare Identification

• The federal government has two main health insurance programs to help people who cannot access private insurance or, in the case of elderly citizens, to receive insurance for cheaper prices. One of these programs is known as Medicare. The main purpose of Medicare is to facilitate access to health insurance for lower prices than prices that private companies offered. In fact, Medicare Part A is free for all those individuals who turn 65 years of age and who have paid their Medicare tax while they work. Medicare Part A is also free for individuals who have a disability condition and receive Social Security Disability benefits.

Social Security Disability

• If you have a disability that qualifies you to receive Social Security Disability, SSD benefits, you also qualify to be enrolled in Medicare. To qualify for SSD benefits your condition must last at least one year or lead to death. And you must not be able to work because of your disability. Another requirement to receive SSD is that you have earned enough Social Security credits while working. The amount of credits you must have depends on your age at the moment you became disabled. Once you qualify, you have to receive disability benefits for 24 consecutive months. After this period, you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B, and your benefits start on your 25th month of disability.

Supplemental Security Income

• The Supplemental Security Income, SSI program, is run by the Social Security Administration that gives benefits to people with a disability condition. If you receive benefits from the SSI program you might also qualify to enroll in Medicare. However, the requirements to receive SSI benefits are different from SSD benefits. You must be older than 65, disabled or blind. Since the SSI program's purpose is to help people with disabilities and low income, you are also required to show that you have low income and few resources. If you are receiving SSI benefits, you might also be able to receive help from your state to pay Medicare premiums. Unlike SSD benefits, you must enroll in Medicare and pay monthly premiums if you want its coverage.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

• If you have a Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis condition, you qualify to receive disability benefits. As a recipient of disability benefits, you also qualify to enroll in Medicare regardless of your age. However, in this case, your Medicare coverage starts earlier than other types of disability. You are automatically enrolled in Medicare and your benefits start at the same as your disability benefits start.