Medicare is health insurance for people age 65 or older. You may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease). Some people get Medicare automatically, others have to actively sign up, it depends if you start getting retirement or disability benefits from Social Security before you turn 65. It is important to note there are four different "parts" to Medicare.
- Part A is free if you worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.
- Part B consists of a monthly premium. The exact premium depends on your income level. Review what you might pay for Medicare at
Medicare.gov.
- Parts C and D are run by private companies and approved by the federal government. Costs and coverage types vary by provider.
- Part D helps to cover prescription drug costs. You must sign up for Part A or Part B before enrolling in Part D.
Increases Medicare beneficiary awareness of health insurance misuse and fraud. Educates beneficiaries how to protect Medicare and other health cards from fraudulent activities. Uses trained volunteers to accomplish program goals.
Provides unbiased confidential counseling and assistance for older adults on Medicare and support with health insurance options, including savings of out of pocket costs for Medicare, health insurance and prescriptions. Trained volunteers are available to help callers accomplish goals.
