The government has established many programs that provide help to senior citizens, such as Social Security and Medicare. However, younger people with similar needs and disabilities can also qualify for the same benefits, depending on their conditions and incomes. Medicare has some exceptions that allow people younger than 65 to enroll and receive health insurance.
Medicare Eligibility
Usually, to enroll in Medicare, you must be 65 years of age or older and you must have paid Medicare tax while you were working. However, there are some exceptions to these requirements. If you are younger than 65 years of age and you have a disability that qualifies you to receive Social Security benefits, you can enroll in Medicare. Once you are enrolled in Medicare parts A and B, you can also enroll in Medicare Part C, also called Medicare Advantage Plan, and Part D.
Medicare Part A
Medicare Part A helps you to pay for costs of hospital stay, hospice care and nursing facility costs. If you have a disability and you are younger than 65 years of age, you can qualify to be enrolled in Medicare. To do so, you must be eligible and receive Social Security disability benefits for a period of at least 24 months. If you have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, you are automatically enrolled in Part A in the first month that you receive disability benefits. Part A does not require payment of a monthly premium.
Medicare Part B
Medicare Part B helps you to pay for necessary medical costs, such as doctor visits and preventive care. As with Medicare Part A, you are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part B if you are younger than 65 years of age and have a disability condition that makes you eligible to receive Social Security benefits. After your 24th month of Social Security benefits, your Medicare Part B coverage will start. If you have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, you also get Part B when your disability benefits start. However, unlike Part A, Part B is not free. If you do not want to pay for Part B, you must return your Medicare card in the moment you receive it. Otherwise, you will be charged the monthly premium.
Medicare Parts C and Part D
You can also enroll in Medicare parts C and D if you are younger than 65. You can enroll in a Part C plan if you have Medicare Part A and Part B, and you can enroll in Part D if you have either Part A or Part B. Medicare Part C consists of coverage provided by private companies approved by Medicare. Part D is coverage for prescription drugs. Unlike Part A and Part B, you are not automatically enrolled in Part C or Part D when you are younger than 65 years of age, even if you have a disability. You must enroll in Part C and Part D yourself three months before to three months after your 25th month of disability. Part C and Part D also require the payment of a monthly premium.
Tags: Medicare Part, Part Part, younger than, Social Security, enroll Medicare, have disability, Part Medicare
