Is Medicare Mandatory?
Is Medicare Mandatory?
The short answer is this: No, Medicare is not mandatory. However, the real answer is slightly more complicated. Medicare is not mandatory. However, most people are eligible once they turn 65. If you turn 65 and are eligible for Medicare, you are enrolled in Part A when you enroll in Social Security benefits. If you would like to refuse Medicare, you also have to forfeit your Social Security benefits. Read on to learn more about eligibility and how to enroll in Medicare.
Interested in learning more?
Who is Eligible for Medicare
Three groups of people are eligible for Medicare
- People 65 and older
- Younger people with disabilities
- Younger people with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
Each group has slightly different eligibility criteria. To qualify for Medicare as someone 65 and up, you have to meet the following criteria:
- You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident who has lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years.
- You or your spouse must have worked to earn and pay 40 tax credits (10 years)
To qualify for Medicare as a person with a disability, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident who has lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years.
- You must have been entitled to Social Security Benefits for at least 24 months (not necessarily consecutively); or
- You receive a disability pension from the railroad retirement board and meet certain conditions; or
- You have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Lou Gehrig’s disease.
To qualify for Medicare for ESRD, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident who has lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years.
- You must have permanent kidney failure requiring regular dialysis or a kidney transplant.
- You and/or your spouse has paid social security taxes for a certain length of time depending on your age.
How to Enroll in Medicare
If you are eligible for Medicare, you may enroll in the program. How you do so depends on whether or not you are already enrolled in Social Security. If you are already enrolled in Social Security, you will generally be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A. If you do not want to enroll in Medicare, you cannot receive Social Security benefits.
The repercussions of refusing Medicare can have a real financial impact on your budget. If you are struggling with the decision contact us today. At Medicare With Jake, we serve the greater Wichita, Kansas area to help you achieve your coverage goals. Call us today!
