SS disability/Medicare

[sisymay]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Georgia

Please let me know if I am on the wrong board and which one to post to if I am.
My mother is 63, stage 4 lung cancer. Recently got approved for SS disability. She is wanting to get Medicare. The local SS office told her that since she has a disability, she has to have her disability for 2 years in order to qualify for Medicare. I didn't know you had to have a disability in order to qualify for Medicare?
She also read in some type of Medicare publication that if you are under 65 yrs old and have a disability, you have to wait until you are 65 years to qualify.
BUT, if you are 65 you don't have to wait to qualify. Can anyone please clarify all this? Can she apply and qualify for Medicare now? Thanks so much!!

 

[TheGeekess]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Georgia

Please let me know if I am on the wrong board and which one to post to if I am.
My mother is 63, stage 4 lung cancer. Recently got approved for SS disability. She is wanting to get Medicare. The local SS office told her that since she has a disability, she has to have her disability for 2 years in order to qualify for Medicare. I didn't know you had to have a disability in order to qualify for Medicare?
She also read in some type of Medicare publication that if you are under 65 yrs old and have a disability, you have to wait until you are 65 years to qualify.
BUT, if you are 65 you don't have to wait to qualify. Can anyone please clarify all this? Can she apply and qualify for Medicare now? Thanks so much!!

Mom will not qualify for Medicare for two years.

Are you mixing up Medicaid and Medicare? Medicare (federal) is not needs based, Medicaid (state) is needs based.

 

[sisymay]

Thanks! I am talking about Medicare. She also applied for Medicaid, as usual, too much income to qualify. Why does she have to wait 2 years?

 

[TheGeekess]

Thanks! I am talking about Medicare. She also applied for Medicaid, as usual, too much income to qualify. Why does she have to wait 2 years?

Because that's the Federal Regulation.

 

[sisymay]

I know there has to be a reason and not 'just because I said so'

 

[TheGeekess]

I know there has to be a reason and not 'just because I said so'

Feds don't need a reason. Just because they say so works fine for them.

 

[sisymay]

Wow, I was hoping there would be some knowledgable serious people on this website. I'll go elsewhere.

 

[Zigner]

Wow, I was hoping there would be some knowledgable serious people on this website. I'll go elsewhere.

Alrighty then!

 

[cbg]

However, unless you find someone who was sitting in the Congressional chambers on the day the law was passed and can tell you what was in the heads of the people who passed the regulation, I'm not sure that anyone else will be able to give you any more detail than we have.

 

[Gail in Georgia]

Medicare is for those who are 65 or older. The OP's mother is 63. That's one of the reasons she won't qualify at this time.

 

[ShyCat]

Medicare is for those who are 65 or older. The OP's mother is 63. That's one of the reasons she won't qualify at this time.

Actually, Medicare qualification is age 65 OR on SSDI (disability) for 2 years. Either way, OP's mother has to wait two years.