Retirement Vs. Disability Medicare

Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance to the elderly and disabled. Since they often live on limited incomes, these groups of people really benefit from the program.

Retirement Medicare

• People become eligible for Medicare at age 65 as long as they are also eligible to receive Social Security benefits. If people choose not to take their Social Security yet because they prefer to keep working, they can still begin receiving Medicare even if they have not yet retired.

Disability Medicare

• Disabled people usually become eligible for Medicare two years after they become eligible for Social Security disability benefits. People disabled by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) do not have a two-year waiting period.

Components of Medicare

• Medicare includes coverage for inpatient hospital care, outpatient medical care and prescription drug coverage. Both retirement Medicare and disability Medicare include all of these components.

Cost

• Medicare Part A, which covers in-patient care, is free. Recipients pay a premium for the other components of Medicare. People with low incomes may receive assistance from the state in paying their premiums.

Signing Up

• If you already receive Social Security retirement or disability benefits, you do not need to do anything to sign up for Medicare. A few months before you become eligible, you will receive your Medicare card in the mail along with information about how to choose a prescription plan. If you are eligible for benefits but not receiving them for some reason, contact Social Security to sign up for Medicare.