Medicare

Did You Know? You may be eligible for Medicare!

Who is eligible for Medicare?

Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older. You may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease). 

Some people are enrolled in Medicare automatically, others must actively sign up -- it depends if you start getting Social Security retirement or disability benefits before you become Medicare eligible.

Medicare has four parts:

• Part A (Hospital Insurance)
• Part B (Medicare Insurance)
• Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans)
• Part D (Drug Coverage)

To learn more about eligibility for Medicare, visit: https://www.medicare.gov/ or you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

Medicare and End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)

The Medicare End Stage Renal Disease Program is a national health insurance program for people with ESRD. There are special eligibility rules for this Medicare program that differ from the rules for Medicare based on age or disability.

• Individuals can get Medicare if their kidneys no longer work and they need regular dialysis or have had a kidney transplant.
• Patients with kidney failure can receive Medicare regardless of age, and without the 24-month waiting period that applies to those receiving Social Security Disability Insurance.
• Enrollees continue to receive Medicare for 12 months after the they stop receiving dialysis or 36 months after they have a kidney transplant.

Individuals can be enrolled on both Medicaid and Medicare at the same time. Medicaid will always be the secondary insurance and can coordinate with traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage. Some Medicare enrolled individuals may not qualify for full-benefit Medicaid but can still be enrolled in a Medicare Savings Program (MSP) where Medicaid will pay their Part B premium and, in some circumstance, Medicare cost-sharing. Individuals enrolled in an MSP are also enrolled in the Medicare Part D Extra Help program to reduce the cost of their prescriptions.

Learn about your eligibility and coverage options if you need regular dialysis or have had a kidney transplant: End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

Resources:

American Association of Kidney Patients
American Kidney Fund
Dialysis Patient Citizens
National Kidney Foundation
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases