Medicare Eligibility

When am I eligible for Medicare?

Your eligibility for Medicare is based on a number of items. Generally, you meet Medicare eligibility if:

You are age 65 or older
You are under 65 with certain disabilities
You have ESRD (end-stage renal disease - permanent kidney failure treated with dialysis or a transplant) or ALS (Lou Gehrig disease), regardless of your age

Also, for Medicare eligibility, you or your spouse must have worked 10 or more years in Medicare-covered employment. These Medicare eligibility requirements must be met for you to receive coverage.

If you already receive Social Security benefits, you don't need to do anything. A Medicare card should be sent to you about three months before you become eligible for Medicare.

How do I apply?

If you meet the Medicare eligibility requirements listed above, you can apply by:

Signing up for Social Security benefits at your local Social Security office
Visiting www.ssa.gov or calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY/TDD: 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to sign up

Once your Medicare eligibility is confirmed, you'll receive your Medicare card in the mail. Then, you can make your plan selections and enroll in the Medicare plan that is right for you.

Remember, as you near the Medicare eligibility age, you can enroll:

Starting three months before your 65th birthday,
The entire month of your 65th birthday, and
Ending three months after your 65th birthday, for a total period of seven months.