Generally, Medicare is for people 65 or older. You may be able to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant), or ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease).
The Medicare.gov Web site also has a tool to help you determine if you are eligible for Medicare and when you can enroll. It is called the Medicare Eligibility Tool.
Medicare Medicare is federal health insurance for people 65 or older, and some people under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions. A federal agency called the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services runs Medicare. Because it’s a federal program, Medicare has set standards for costs and coverage. This means a person’s Medicare coverage will be the same no matter what state they live in.
A Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO) is another Medicare health plan choice you may have as part of Medicare. Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes called “Part C” or “MA Plans,” are offered by private companies approved by Medicare.
Your Medicare card will arrive in the mail in about 30 days at the address on file with Social Security. When you request your replacement card, be sure to check your mailing address that’s in your personal Social Security account and make any necessary updates.
Learn more about when Medicare coverage starts including special enrollment periods. For more on Medicare enrollment and eligibility, visit Medicare.gov.
Several Original Medicare covered benefits and services are covered only for specific benefit periods, e.g., inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facility services, and inpatient psychiatric hospital services. While an MA plan may offer additional coverage as a supplemental benefit, it may not limit the Original Medicare coverage.