It may not be widely known because when someone thinks about Medicare they usually think about it being a healthcare program for seniors, but it is also for those who have been found to be disabled by the Social Security Administration, no matter what age you are.
As long as a disabled worker who meets the medical and non-medical rules of the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, they will eventually be entitled to Medicare coverage, although coverage is no immediate.
Social Security automatically enrolls SSDI beneficiaries in Medicare two years after their first issued disability payment was due to them.
Once the two-year waiting period is up, SSDI beneficiaries will be enrolled in Medicare Part A and B. Medicare Part A is hospital insurance that pays for inpatient hospital bills and follow-up care. There is no charge for this coverage.
Medicare Part B is Medicare’s standard health insurance coverage that helps pay doctor’s bills and outpatient care. There is a monthly premium for this cost, which is directly deducted from SSDI recipient’s monthly pay.
There are additional types of coverage, Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C), prescription drug coverage (Medicare Part D) and Medigap plans, which can make exploring Medicare benefits confusing.
Medicare Advantage: This type of plan allows those who qualify for Medicare to receive all of their health care services through plans that are offered by private companies, which are approved by Medicare. This may be appealing because some medical providers do not accept Medicare.
Prescription drug coverage: Medicare offers prescription drug coverage to everyone who is eligible for Medicare. To get prescription drug coverage you must join a plan run by an insurance company or other private company approved by Medicare. Each plan can vary in cost and drugs covered.
Medigap plans: Since Medicare coverage does not cover 100 percent of all health care costs, these types of plans supplement Medicare coverage in an attempt to limit out-of-pocket medical expenses.
To learn more about all the different types of Medicare programs click here.
