When Can I sign up for Medicare?
Who is eligible and when can you get Medicare? Medicare eligibility begins for most people at age 65. Individuals who have been entitled to Social Security disability for at least 24 months also qualify.
There are other situations someone can qualify for Medicare under the age of 65:
- If you are permanently disabled and you have been receiving Social Security disability income benefits for 24 months.
- End-Stage Renal Disease, which is kidney failure that requires you to get dialysis or you are waiting for a kidney transplant.
- If you have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease
- You can sign up for Medicare 3 months before your birth month, your birth month and three months after your birth month.
Eligibility for Medicare Part A
You are eligible for Medicare Part A at age 65 if you or your spouse has legally worked for at least 10 years or 40 quarters in the U.S.
Eligibility for Medicare Part B
You are eligible for Medicare Part B at age 65 as well. However, you must pay a monthly premium for Part B. This provides for your outpatient benefits such as doctor visits, lab work, surgery fees, and more. Check out our Part B page for more on what Part B covers.
Eligibility for Medicare Part C
Medicare Part C is another name for the Medicare Advantage program. You can enroll in Part C if you wish to get your benefits through a private insurance company instead of Original Medicare. Usually, these plans have smaller networks than Medicare, but some of them include built-in Part D coverage.
To be eligible for Part C, you must first be enrolled in both Medicare Parts A and B and you must also live in the plan’s service area. Living in the plans “service area” is an important thing to keep in mind when enrolling in Medicare Part C.
