Medicare Eligibility and Benefits

Medicare is a major health insurance plan administered by the United States government providing insurance coverage for Medicare Parts A and B, and Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.

Medicare Eligibility Rules:
The citizens of the United States can apply for Medicare benefits in case they have been employed for about ten years in a job that has paid taxes to the Medicare system. This can easily be figured out by just looking at your pay-check. Most of the companies in the United States pay Medicare taxes.

This eligibility remains the same for the spouses too, implying that in case you or your partner have worked for more than ten years and paid money to the Medicare program, then you both are eligible for Medicare coverage. Another eligibility for Medicare is that a person needs to 65 years of age or above to obtain Medicare, unless he/she is suffering from permanent disability or kidney failure.

Thus, there are primarily two conditions that need to be fulfilled for you to receive Medicare benefits:

• You must have been employed for at least ten years paying taxes to the Medicare system.
• You need to be 65 years of age or above to enroll in Medicare System. You can also be a part of Medicare system if you have some impairment or suffering from permanent kidney failure.

Eligibility for Part A Medicare:
Medicare Part A stands for hospital insurance. This Medicare insurance pays the expenses for hospice care, skilled nursing care, care at home, hospital care etc. Large numbers of individuals are eligible for obtaining the benefits of Medicare Part A as they attain the age of 65. No monthly premium is required for this kind of insurance.

The eligibility for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) comprises of:

• Person is obtaining retirement benefits from the retirement board.
• Person is eligible for obtaining retirement benefits from the retirement board, but has yet not applied for the Medicare benefits.
• Any one the partners is working for the government.

The eligibility rules for people under the age of 65:

• You are receiving Medicare benefits from the Railroad board of retirement because of some impairment for more than 2 years.
• You are undergoing treatment for dialysis or require a kidney transplant.

Eligibility for Part B Medicare:
In case you can apply for Medicare Part A, then you would also become eligible for Medicare Part B. Medicare Part B is your medical insurance and it provides insurance coverage for visiting the physician, out-patient care, and various other medical services which are not a part of Medicare Part A.

As opposed to Medicare Part A, one requires paying a monthly premium for Medicare Part B.

Eligibility for Part D Drug Coverage:
Every person who becomes eligible for Medicare Parts A and B is also eligible for obtaining the benefits of Part D Medicare. Part D is prescription drug coverage meant to safeguard people from the rising costs of prescription medications.

Medicare Part D is offered to the people by various private Medicare companies. Medicare recipients require choosing a drug plan that suits their needs. Also, one has to pay a monthly insurance premium to enroll in this plan.

Alternatives to Medicare: Medicare Supplement Insurance:

You must keep in mind that you have many alternatives when it comes to the original Medicare. We are referring to Medicare Supplement Insurance.  For more information on enrolling and eligibility for Medicare, you can contact our Best Medicare Supplement Company.

Read Complete Guide to Medicare Insurance

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