Health Insurance Articles
Who Is Eligible For Medicare Health Insurance Benefits And Coverage
2010-02-23
Medicare is a health insurance program for people 65 years of age and older living in the United States or those who are permanent residents of the United States. Exceptions to receive Medicare health insurance coverage include people under 65 who are disabled, suffer from Lou Gehrig's disease or have chronic kidney failure.
Permanent residents and citizens of the United States 65 and over qualify for Part A Medicare free hospital insurance if they receive or are eligible to receive Social Security, are eligible for or receive retirement benefits from railroad service, or if they and a living, deceased or divorced spouse paid Medicare taxes in a government job for a designated period of time. These benefits also apply if a person was a primary care parent of an insured deceased son or daughter. If these requirements do not apply, there are some instances when a person can purchase Medicare hospital insurance by paying a monthly Medicare health insurance rate. Another situation that may allow for enrollment includes disabled widows or widowers who have never filed an application for disability benefits because they are receiving a different type of Social Security benefit payment.
People who worked for the government and became disabled before 65 years of age should also check with Social Security regarding Medicare entitlement.
There are four sections to Medicare. They include Part A, which is basically free hospital insurance. Part A Medicare pays for hospital inpatient stays, nursing home care following hospitalization and some hospice and home health care. Part B Medicare is health insurance coverage that contributes to physicians' services, medical supplies and services that hospital insurance does not cover. Persons eligible for Part A can enroll in Part B for a monthly premium fee. Medicare Part C is a Medicare Advantage plan available to Medicare recipients that have Parts A and B. These people can opt to receive medical services through providers that fall under Part C. Part D helps with prescription drug fees that are prescribed by physicians for certain illnesses and diseases. There are also monthly Medicare premium payments required for Part C and Part D.
Those enrolled in the program receive a card that displays what parts of the Medicare services they are entitled to. The card should be readily available whenever it is needed. If the card is stolen or lost, a replacement card can be requested via the Internet at www.socialsecurity.gov or by calling the toll free number for Social Security. To make sure that Medicare benefits are available at age 65, applications should be filed three months prior to a 65th birthday. More information on Medicare can be obtained by going to www.socialsecurity.gov/mediinfo.htm.
