People under 65 with disabilities are eligible for Medicare. People eligible for Social Security Disability benefits must have received benefits for at least 24 months or suffer from End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The waiting period for Social Security Disability benefits begins five months after a beneficiary is determined to be disabled. To qualify for Medicare, people with ESRD and ALS do not have to collect benefits for 24 months, as they would with other causes of disability.
How do people with disabilities enroll in Medicare?
When the required time period has passed, people who qualify for Social Security Disability benefits should receive a Medicare card in the mail. Please contact your local Social Security office if this does not happen or if you have any other questions.