Medicare who is eligible

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Share with linkedin. Share using email. Established in and funded by taxpayers, these two programs have similar-sounding names, which can trigger confusion about how they work and the coverage they provide. Medicare provides medical coverage for many people age 65 and older and those with a disability. Eligibility for Medicare has nothing to do with income level. Medicaid is designed for people with limited income and is often a program of last resort for those without access to other resources.

If you qualify for Medicare and don't know where to start, eHealth Medicare, an independent insurance broker and partner of Investopedia, has licensed insurance agents at TTY users who can help connect you with Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement Insurance, and Prescription Drug Part D plans. Medicare helps provide healthcare coverage to U.

The four-part program includes:. Medicare Part A provides hospitalization coverage to individuals who are 65 years or older, regardless of income. To qualify, you or your spouse must have worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.

Most people don't pay a premium for Part A, but deductibles and coinsurance apply. Those eligible for Medicare Part A also qualify for Part B , which covers medically necessary services and equipment. Deductibles and coinsurance apply. However, it may cost more to join later in life, due to a late-enrollment penalty. Medicare Part C plans are offered by private companies approved by Medicare. In addition to providing coverage offered by Parts A and B, Part C offers vision, hearing, and dental coverage, and may also provide prescription drug coverage.

In that way, it functions much like the health maintenance organizations HMOs and preferred provider organizations PPOs , through which many people receive medical services during their working years. Enrolling in Part C may reduce the costs of purchasing services separately. Individuals should carefully evaluate their medical needs because Part C participants generally pay out-of-pocket for the associated services.

Medicare Supplement Insurance, known as Medigap , may be purchased to help cover expenses such as copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that are not covered by Parts A and Part B. However, physicians who do not take Medicare also do not accept Medigap. Medicare Part D provides prescription drug coverage. Participants pay for Part D plans out-of-pocket, and must pay monthly premiums, a yearly deductible, and copayments for certain prescriptions.

Those enrolled in Medicare Part C will only want to consider Part D if their plan has no prescription drug coverage. The annual Medicare open enrollment period runs from Oct. Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps low-income Americans of all ages pay for the costs associated with medical and long-term custodial care. Children who need low-cost care but whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, are covered through the Children's Health Insurance Program CHIP , which has its own set of rules and requirements.

Supreme Court ruled that states are not required to participate in the expansion in order to continue receiving already established levels of Medicaid funding. Many states have chosen not to expand funding levels and eligibility requirements.

Those covered by Medicaid pay nothing for covered services. Unlike Medicare, which is available to nearly every American of 65 years and over, Medicaid has strict eligibility requirements that vary by state. However, because the program is designed to help the poor, many states require Medicaid recipients to have no more than a few thousand dollars in liquid assets in order to participate.

There are also income restrictions. For a state-by-state breakdown of eligibility requirements, visit Medicaid. If you do not get any of these payments, Medicare sends you a bill for your Part B premium every 3 months. Since January 1, , everyone with Medicare, regardless of income, health status, or prescription drug usage has had access to prescription drug coverage. For more information, you may wish to visit the Prescription Drug Coverage site.

Washington, D. A-Z Index. Who is eligible for Medicare? You can get Part A at age 65 without having to pay premiums if: You are receiving retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board. You are eligible to receive Social Security or Railroad benefits but you have not yet filed for them.