Not sure which Medicare plan works for you? Use our easy tool to shop, compare, and enroll in plans from popular carriers.
What age can I get Medicare Part A?
Just the essentials...
Medicare Part A is Hospital Insurance for older Americans
Eligibility on the basis of age comes at age 65
Some disabilities qualify for eligibility under age 65
Persons with ALS or End Stage Renal Disease are eligible at any age
The Medicare.gov website provides information and access to the online sign-up portals. Age is one of the ways to get Medicare but not the only requirement. The basic eligibility today is at age 65. That is the beginning, and the other parts are just as important to getting Medicare coverage. One must know whether the Medicare is Part A only; if costs is a consideration, then one needs to know whether it is premium-free or premium-paid.
One must know whether the Medicare is Part A only; if costs is a consideration, then one needs to know whether it is premium-free or premium-paid.
Age and disability are the two major features of Medicare eligibility. These are the main factors that determine when one can get Medicare.
They also determine the costs and other advantages such as late fees and timely coverage. Persons receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits qualify after twenty-four months.
Quarterly Covered Work Experience
The full benefits of 40 covered quarters is that the Part A premium is zero; this is the premium-free Medicare. By contrast, a person that has 30 covered quarters would have to pay $252.00 per month.
Someone with less than 30 would have to pay up to the full amount of the premium.
In 2020, the monthly Part A premium would be between zero and $458 depending on the amount of covered quarters of employment.
The More QCs, the Better
During their working careers, most people have enough coverage under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act to qualify for Social Security and Medicare. There is a sliding scale for partial to full coverage based on the number of calendar quarters worked with insurance deductions taken from the pay.
The below-listed items describe the QCs and Pat A premiums at age 65:
$0 premium – One can get premium-free Part A if 40 QCs or more ( 10 years or more covered quarters)
$252 monthly premium – if applicant or spouse has 30 to 39 QCs (seven and one-half but less than ten years of covered quarters)
$458 per month -if applicant or spouse worked less than 30 QCs ( less than seven and one-half years of covered quarters)
Medicare at 64
Initial Medicare eligibility has a seven-month window. It opens three months before the sixty-fifth birthday month. The seven-month window closes three months after the birthday month.
The eligibility for Part A Medicare begins three months before the birth month.
One can sign up for Medicare Parts A and B as early as age sixty-four, and nine months. The seven-month window is the Initial Enrollment Period. This is the ideal time to review health and medical needs and one’s health care insurance situation.
Premium-free Medicare
Those at age 65 with sufficient work QC coverage under FICA can get premium-free Medicare. People 65 and up with 40 quarters of coverage in their work history get premium-free Medicare Part A.
They must sign-up and pay the premiums required for Part B. Together, they make the powerful health insurance and medical care coverage known as Original Medicare.
Premium-Paid Medicare
Those that do not have 40 quarters of coverage at the full FICA taxation rate may have to purchase the coverage of Medicare Part A by paying the Part A premium. In 2020, the Part A premium was $458 per month.
Premium-paid Part A needs premium-paid part B to make full coverage for inpatient and outpatient care including durable medical equipment for use in the home.
Medicaid and the state governments can provide financial assistance to help pay Medicare premiums, costs, and deductibles. The MSP has several components depending on income.
The Costs of Part B
Those getting Premium-paid Part A or Premium-free Part A must pay the premium for Part B Medical Insurance. Recipients of Social Security can pay by automatic payroll deduction.
Those not getting Social Security must pay when billed. The average cost for Part B in 2020 was about $144.60 per month. The deductible was$198.00. The coinsurance for Part B medical services was usually in the range of twenty percent consumer paid while Medicare paid 80 percent.
It was government-run health insurance and healthcare. Workers paid into the fund during their careers and received the benefits of a comprehensive healthcare system at retirement.
When paying the full Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax, one supported participation in Social Security retirement and Medicare.
After a minimum of covered work time, the rights to Medicare and a Social Security pension vested with the individual.
Medicare Has Four Parts
As passed by the Congress, Medicare had two government-run parts. Then Congress added more private sector parts run by insurance companies.
Medicare Part A: Hospital Insurance is the basic Medicare insurance; this part focuses on inpatient care and treatment. It comprises the popular Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) and provides a solid basis for health security for older Americans
Medicare Part B: Medical Insurance is basic Medicare insurance; this part focuses on outpatient care and durable medical equipment for home use.
– Medicare Advantage
If one has had health insurance prior to searching Medicare, then one has seen the familiar forms of health plans. They offer HMO, PPO, EPO, PFFS and other types of plans. Medicare Advantage will offer choices of plans that charge and restrict on the basis of networks. Comparison shopping is a great tool for finding the features that work best for an individual or family.
– Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefits
The prescription drug benefits of Medicare are important to the overall program of healthcare. Prescription drugs are a vital part f outpatient care. Doctors use powerful drugs to heal ad to control disease and other medical conditions. The costs of prescription drugs can make Medical care unattainable for millions of older Americans.
Part D is insurance to protect Medicare subscribers against the costs of frequent use of costly prescription drugs. Comparison shopping is an excellent approach for finding the best private prescription drug plan. Comparison shopping can focus on current and future needs and costs
Medicare and the Individual Mandate
The Affordable Care Act imposes a penalty on uninsured persons that was $695.00 per adult individual in the calendar year 2016. The law applies to older Americans, and it applies to retirees as well as those still working.
Having Medicare can avoid the penalty because some parts of Medicare qualify as health insurance coverage under Obamacare. Part B Medical Insurance standing alone does not, and neither does the Medicare Supplement, nor Part D: Prescription Drugs. The below listed Medicare items qualify and satisfy the individual mandate.
Medicare Part A
Medicare Part A and Part B ( Original Medicare)
Medicare Advantage Plans
You Can Get Medicare at Age 65 or Younger if Disabled
The Medicare eligibility by age begins at age 65 with a signup window that begins three months before the birthday month. The window closes three months after the Birthday month. This seven-month period is the above-described Initial Enrollment Period.
It is the best time to sign-up for Medicare. Comparison shopping is a powerful technique for finding the best selection in Medicare Advantage health plans for the individual or family.
Comparison shopping one can emphasize the parts that are important such as low out-of-pocket costs or particular medical services.
