Medicare Eligibility Questions

1. Can Mom receive Medicare benefits if she can still drive?

   Whether your mother has the right to drive is none of Medicare's concern. Legally, that's entirely between her and the department of motor vehicles in the state where she lives, based on that state's driving laws. Of course, it may be a matter of serious concern to family members when someone is licensed...
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2. How do we pay for my non-citizen mother's care?

   It's possible for your mother to get both medical and long-term care from the Medicaid program even though she is not a citizen.
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3. Are federal employee retirees ineligible for Medicare and Medicaid?

   Good news for you -- your brother's worries about your mother's eligibility for Medicare or Medicaid are NOT correct, and your mother is likely to be eligible for all parts of Medicare (and for Medicaid, too, if she qualifies financially). Let's take them one at a time.
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4. Can my mother use both Medicare and Medicaid at the same time?

   Yes, your mother can be covered by Medicare and Medicaid at the same time (if her income and assets are low enough for her to qualify for Medicaid). If she enters the assisted living facility and is covered by Illinois's Medicaid program, Medicare and Medicaid would combine to cover your mother's care...
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5. Am I eligible for Medicare if I am not yet eligible for Social Security benefits?

   Hello,
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6. Will money in my 401k prevent me from being eligible for Medicaid?

   You should talk to an attorney who specializes in disability. They work on a contingency basis and if they are successful in getting disability for you, they will take a percentage of the initial lump sum you receive. There is no up front or out-of-pocket expense to you...
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7. Do Medicare assets affect a person's coverage in any way?

   Persons may be eligible for any of the four parts of Medicare regardless of how much they have in income or assets. The only thing about Medicare that income and assets might affect is how much a person pays for a particular part of Medicare coverage.
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8. Would getting married affect my Medicare eligibility?

   Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! And you can rest assured that getting married will NOT affect your eligibility for Social Security Disability benefits or for Medicare. Your eligibility for Social Security Disability benefits is based entirely on your own physical or mental condition (your...
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9. Should I enroll in Medicare Part A even if I don't retire?

   A lot of people work past the age of 65, and some of them -- like you -- have health insurance coverage through their employer. It sounds like you will also continue to have health insurance coverage for yourself and your wife after you retire...
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10. Can I receive Medicare from my husband's job before he has access to it?

    There are three different parts of traditional Medicare -- Part A (hospital coverage), Part B (medical coverage) and Part D (prescription drug coverage), and the answer is different for each.
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11. Will my Canadian husband be eligible for spousal social security benefits and Medicare when he's 65?

    Your husband's eligibility for Social Security benefits and for Medicare coverage are two different things, so let's take them one at a time.
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12. Why hasn't the age for signing up for Medicare changed to coincide with the eligibility date for drawing social security?

    Your question points out a problem with many federal laws: They're often inconsistent. Even though the age for eligibility for Social Security has been raised from 65, this is still the age at which you must enroll in Medicare. In fact, if you don't enroll in Medicare Part B when you're first eligible...
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13. How can I get the dental care I need if I can't afford it and have no dental insurance?

    The only school of dentistry in South Carolina is the College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. They see private patients, and could very likely do your dental work for far less than the figure you've been quoted. If it saved you thousands of dollars, it might be worth traveling to Charleston for your dental care...
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14. When I applied for widows benefits a year ago, I was told...

    I'm afraid Social Security is right -- you have to be 65 to be eligible for any of Medicare's programs (unless you are disabled and have been receiving Social Security Disability benefits for at least 24 months, in which case you'd be automatically enrolled)...
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15. How many days is considered in a "benefit period" ?

    Under Medicare Part A , you begin an entirely new, full benefit period as soon as you have been out of the hospital and a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility for 60 consecutive days. For each new benefit period, you pay a hospital deductible of $1,024 (in 2008)...
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16. Am I eligible for a Medigap disablility insurance policy if I'm on Social Security disability?

    It depends on where you live. You are eligible for all parts of Medicare when you've been receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for 24 months. But eligibility for private Medigap supplemental insurance policies is guaranteed by the federal government only if you are enrolled in Medicare and are age 65 or older...
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17. Can one switch from Medicare Part B to Medicaid easily?

    If someone qualifies for Medicaid coverage, she gets that coverage in addition to Medicare Part B (not instead of Medicare Part B). If she qualifies for Medicaid, she would keep her Medicare Part B coverage and Medicaid would pay the Medicare Part B premium, deductible, and copayments...
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18. How long after I've qualified for SSI disability am I eligible for Medicare?

    There are actually two different disability benefits programs run by the Social Security Administration, so the first thing for you to do is to get clear about which type of benefits you're receiving. One type is Social Security Disability Insurance, referred to as SSDI...
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19. How do I refuse Medicare?

    For most people, Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient hospital bills, has no monthly premium and so there is no reason not to sign up for it. Medicare Part B, which covers doctors bills and other outpatient costs, does charge a monthly premium of $96.40 per month. You don't have to sign up for Medicare Part B if you don't want it...
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20. How do we switch from private to Medicare?

    If she had both Medicare and health insurance coverage through a large employer while she was still working, the employer-based insurance (in this case, Anthem Blue Access) paid first, with Medicare paying some of the remaining costs. Since she is no longer working, Medicare will become the primary payer, which means that medical bills go first to Medicare...
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