Medicare 101: How To Qualify for Medicare

Learning about medicare for the first time you could be asking yourself “How do I qualify for Medicare”?

Medicare is an American healthcare system for people of the age 65 or older. It is primarily funded by employees and employers through payroll taxes, as well as, monthly premium deductions from social security checks. If you would like to know how to qualify please read the following steps.

How To Qualify For Medicare:

1. Although you must be at least 65 years old to qualify for Medicare, there are some exceptions. If you have renal failure or Lou Gehrig’s disease you are considered to have a qualifying disability and can be applicable for Medicare.
2. To qualify for Medicare you must be at least 65 years old and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. However, if you do not meet the following requirements, you may still be able to get Medicare if you pay a monthly premium.
3. You must meet at least one of the following requirements to qualify for Medicare. You are eligible or currently receive either Social Security benefits or railroad retirement benefits. You can also qualify if you or your deceased or divorced spouse worked a certain amount of time in a government job. This job must have had Medicare taxes that were paid. You can also qualify if you are a dependent parent of someone who worked a certain amount of time in a government job where taxes were paid.
4. Anyone who qualifies for Medicare Part A, which is free hospital insurance, automatically qualifies for Medicare Part B, which covers doctor visits and other medical supplies. However, Medicare Part B requires payment of a monthly premium. Also, if you don’t qualify for Part A you can still purchase Part B if you are of the age 65 or older and a U.S. citizen, or lived lawfully in the U.S. for 5 years.
5. Medicare does not pay for all medical expenses so it may be necessary for some people to have supplemental insurance or purchase Part C. Medicare Part C is the medical advantage plan, which helps cover cost that Part A and Part B don’t cover. If you qualify for Medicare Parts A and B, you also qualify for Medicare Part C and D. Medicare Part D covers prescription drug costs and requires a monthly premium.