What Is Medicare?

•   Medicare is the federal health insurance program for  people who are 65 or older

•   Certain younger people with disabilities

•   People with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure  requiring dialysis or a           transplant, sometimes called ESRD)

The different parts of Medicare help cover specific services:

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)

Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care, and some home health care.

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)  

Part B covers certain doctors' services, outpatient care, medical supplies, and preventive services.

Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage)

Medicare prescription drug coverage is available to everyone with Medicare. To get Medicare prescription drug coverage, people must join a plan approved by Medicare that offers Medicare drug coverage. Most people pay a monthly premium for Part D.

Medicare Eligibility

It’s important to know when you’re eligible for Medicare and what to do if you are. Learn more about Medicare eligibility, what to do if you want to work past age 65 and how to enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Part B.

Who is eligible for Medicare?

U.S. citizens and legal residents

Note: Legal residents must have lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years in a row before applying for Medicare.

Plus, one of the following:

•  Age 65 or older

•  Younger than 65 with a qualifying disability

•  Any age with a diagnosis of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or Amyotrophic Lateral                 Sclerosis (ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

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