Medicare and Social Security Benefits: Do You Automatically Qualify?

Medicare and Social Security are federal agencies that provide financial assistance to millions of qualifying Americans every year. Fortunately, they are also linked, so if you are collecting Social Security Disability benefits (SSD), you may automatically be eligible for Medicare depending on your age, disability, and period in which you’ve been a beneficiary.

Determining Eligibility for Medicare with Social Security Disability Benefits

As of 2019, 60 million people were enrolled in Medicare, with about 52 million qualified by age and 8 million qualified by disability. Once you turn 65 and have been a U.S. citizen for at least five years, you are eligible to enroll in Medicare. .

To automatically qualify for Medicare while collecting disability benefits, you must have received SSD benefits for two years – or 24 months. In your 25th month of collecting disability benefits, you would be eligible to receive original Medicare (Part A, covering hospital costs, and Part B, covering medical expenses) with your disability benefits. Keep in mind that Medicare Part A and Part B does not cover all medical expenses or the costs of long-term care.

However, certain medical conditions could qualify you for Medicare with your benefits sooner than 24 months of collecting benefits. This includes end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and Lou Gehrig’s Disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS. For more information about your Medicare options, while collecting disability benefits, it is essential that you consult with an experienced Social Security Disability attorney.

What is Medicare Advantage?

Medicare Advantage, a cost-saving alternative to Medicare offered through private companies, bundles the benefits of Medicare parts A and B with additional coverage such as dental, vision, and wellness programs. To learn more about Medicare and Medicare Advantage, speak with the Social Security Disability attorneys at Kerr Robichaux & Carroll at no cost to you.

Attorneys and Advocates for the Disabled Community of the Pacific Northwest

If you still have questions about SSD, you are not alone; the process of navigating Social Security is overwhelming when handled on your own, and that’s why the attorneys at Kerr Robichaux & Carroll are here to help. Contact us by filling out and submitting a form on our website or calling our office toll-free at 503-255-9092 for a free consultation today.

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