If you’re over the age of 65, you might be wondering if you’re eligible for Medicare coverage. In this article, we’ll outline some of the most common eligibility requirements and tell you how to find out if you qualify.
What is Medicare?
If you are age 65 or older, you may be eligible for Medicare. Medicare is a government-run health insurance program that provides coverage for people who are age 65 and older, or have disabilities.
To be eligible for Medicare, you must have been a resident of the U.S. for at least 10 years, been a citizen of the U.S., and have paid enough Social Security taxes to qualify for retirement benefits.
You can find out if you are eligible for Medicare by contacting your state Medicaid office or by visiting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website at www.medicare.gov/.
If you are not yet age 65, you may still be able to obtain coverage under a private health insurance plan that includes Medicare coverage as an optional benefit.
If you do not have health insurance, talk to your doctor about possible ways to get covered under Medicare.
How Does Medicare Work?
As we age, it sometimes becomes more difficult to make ends meet. Some people may find that they are no longer able to work and need to rely on government assistance to live. This is where Medicare comes in. Medicare is a government-run health insurance program that covers people who are over the age of 65 or have a disability.
To be eligible for Medicare coverage, you must first make sure that you are registered with the program. You can register online at www.medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. Once you have registered, you will need to provide your birth date, Social Security number, and other information about your family.
Once you have submitted this information, Medicare will start checking to see if you are eligible for coverage. If you are eligible, the program will send you a notice telling you what benefits you are entitled to and how much money you will need to pay each month.
If you do not want to receive these benefits, you can request that Medicare not send them to you. To do this, call 1-800-MEDICARE and provide your name, birth date, and Social Security number. You will then be asked to decide whether you want any
How to Find Out if You’re Eligible for Medicare Coverage?
If you’re over the age of 65, you may be eligible for Medicare coverage. To find out if you’re eligible, first determine your eligibility date. If you were born before January 2, 1949, you are considered to be age 65 or older. If your birthday is after January 2, 1949, and before January 1, 1997, you are considered to be age 66 or older.
Next, check whether you are in a “covered” category by reviewing the following table. If you meet all of the following criteria, then you are in a covered category and are not eligible for Medicare coverage:
Covered Category:
You cannot be covered by a private health insurance plan that offers hospitalization benefits.
You cannot have been denied benefits by Medicare because of a prior claim.
Your net income (adjusted gross income minus allowable deductions) does not exceed $85,000 for an individual or $170,000 for a married couple filing jointly in 2018.
If any of the above conditions do not apply to you, then see the next table to find out if you are still in a covered category.
Uncovered Category:
If one of the following applies to you:
What to Do If You’re Not Eligible for Medicare Coverage?
If you’re over the age of 65 and you don’t qualify for Medicare, there are a few things you can do to get coverage. First, you can try to find a private health insurance plan that offers Medicare coverage. If that’s not possible, you can apply for Medicaid. Finally, if none of those options work, you can try to enroll in a Medicare Part D plan.
Conclusion
If you are over the age of 65 and have been a resident of the United States for at least six months, you may be eligible for Medicare coverage. If this is your case, or if you are disability eligible, Medicare will provide you with coverage for medical services. You will need to complete an application and provide documentation that proves your eligibility. Make sure to contact Medicare as soon as possible if you think you might be eligible so that they can begin processing your application.