Medicare Eligibility
Who Can Enroll?
Who Is Eligible for Medicare?
You are eligible for Medicare if you are a U.S. citizen or a qualified legal resident* and meet one of the following conditions:
You are 65 years of age or older
You are under 65 and have a qualifying disability
You are any age with a diagnosis of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
To find out when you may become eligible and to estimate your Medicare premiums, visit: [Custom.Value]
*Qualified legal residents must have lived continuously in the United States for at least five consecutive years before applying for Medicare.
Estimate Medicare eligibility and premium
Automatic Enrollment in Medicare Part A and Part B You may be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B automatically if:
◾You’re already receiving benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB). In this case, your Medicare coverage will start automatically on the first day of the month you turn 65. (If your birthday falls on the first day of the month, coverage will begin the first day of the previous month.)
◾You’re under 65 and have a qualifying disability. You’ll automatically get Part A and Part B after receiving Social Security disability benefits or certain RRB disability benefits for 24 months.
◾You have been diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. In this case, you’ll automatically receive Part A and Part B starting the month your Social Security disability benefits begin.
◾If you are automatically enrolled, you’ll receive your red, white, and blue Medicare card in the mail approximately 3 months before your 65th birthday or your 25th month of disability benefits.
If you take no action, you will keep Part B coverage and the Part B premium will be deducted from your Social Security benefits.
You do have the option to decline Part B. However, if you later decide to enroll, you might have to wait for the next enrollment period and could face a late enrollment penalty.
Some People Must Enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Part B
If you’re approaching age 65 and are not receiving benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), you’ll need to actively sign up for Medicare.
It’s recommended to contact Social Security about three months before your 65th birthday. You can also apply online for Medicare Part A and Part B at www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare.
If you worked for a railroad, you should contact the RRB instead. In most cases, if you don’t sign up for Medicare Part B when you’re first eligible, you could face delays in getting coverage later — sometimes over a year — and you may also have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B.
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