#DenverDebate
Who saw last night’s presidential debate in Denver? Certainly there is a great deal of water cooler discussion going on today. Something that irked me was the continual reference to the fact that Medicare would continue to be available for “seniors”. Anyone working in the Medicare Advantage arena (whether it’s in Medical Management, Sales, Customer Service, you name it) knows that Medicare is not just for seniors. The Marketing guidelines even prohibit targeted marketing in this regard, i.e. implying a plan is available only to seniors as opposed to all Medicare beneficiaries. In fact, the list of under-65 recipients who qualify is as long as the list of over-65 qualifications.
As of December 2011, there were over 8.3 million disabled men and women under the age of 65 enrolled in Medicare Part A. I urge all those who have the privilege (and challenge!) of holding or seeking elected office not to forget this important fact, and I urge all readers to go out and vote on November 6.
Hospital insurance (Part A) (From SSA Publication No. 05-10043, ICN 460000, July 2012)
Most people age 65 or older who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States are eligible for free Medicare hospital insurance (Part A). You are eligible at age 65 if:
- You receive or are eligible to receive Social Security benefits; or
- You receive or are eligible to receive railroad retirement benefits; or
- Your spouse is eligible; or
- You or your spouse (living or deceased, including divorced spouses) worked long enough in a government job where Medicare taxes were paid; or
- You are the dependent parent of a fully insured deceased child.
Before age 65, you are eligible for free Medicare hospital insurance if:
- You have been entitled to Social Security disability benefits for 24 months; or
- You receive a disability pension from the railroad retirement board and meet certain conditions; or
- If you receive Social Security disability benefits because you have Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis); or
- You worked long enough in a government job where Medicare taxes were paid and you meet the requirements of the Social Security disability program; or
- You are the child or widow(er) age 50 or older, including a divorced widow(er), of someone who has worked long enough in a government job where Medicare taxes were paid and you meet the requirements of the Social Security disability program.
- You have permanent kidney failure and you receive maintenance dialysis or a kidney transplant and:
- You are eligible for or receive monthly benefits under Social Security or the railroad retirement system; or
- You have worked long enough in a Medicare-covered government job; or
- You are the child or spouse (including a divorced spouse) of a worker (living or deceased) who has worked long enough under Social Security or in a Medicare-covered government job.