What Illinois Disability Recipients Need to Know About Medicare

 Posted on October 27, 2016 in Social Security Disability

October 15 is the beginning of the annual “open enrollment” period for the federal Medicare program. This is the time during which Medicare-eligible individuals can make changes to their health insurance coverage, such as adding or dropping benefits. For 2016, open enrollment lasts until December 7.

Can I Receive Medicare While on Disability?

Although Medicare is generally associated with individuals age 65 or older, anyone approved for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits can also receive coverage under the program. Under federal law, anyone under the age of 65 is automatically enrolled in certain parts of Medicare after they have received disability benefits for at least 24 months (two years). The government will automatically send an eligible disability recipient a Medicare insurance card approximately three months before this two-year benchmark.

What Does Medicare Cover?

The automatic enrollment for disability recipients includes Medicare Part A and Part B. Part A is hospital insurance, which covers any necessary inpatient care. This is financed through Medicare taxes paid by the disability recipient during the time that he or she was working, so there are no additional premium payments required.

Part B provides general medical insurance for doctors’ visits, outpatient care, and other medical services. Unlike Part A, a disability recipient will need to pay a monthly premium for Part B if he or she wishes to receive coverage.

There are also two optional areas of Medicare Coverage: Part C and Part D. Part C is known as “Medicare Advantage,” and it refers to government-approved private health insurance plans that provide Part A and Part B coverage as well as certain additional benefits, such as vision and dental care. Part D adds prescription drug coverage to Medicare Part A and Part B recipients. Some Part C plans also provide drug coverage.

What If I Already Have Health Insurance?

Some disability recipients do not enroll in Medicare Part B because they are still covered under a working spouse’s employer-provided health insurance plan. However, if the employer terminates coverage or the spouse decides to retire, then the disability recipient is still eligible to enroll in Medicare Part B. While it will depend on the specific circumstances, in general a disability recipient who loses access to a spouse’s insurance plan can sign up for Medicare Part B, even outside the open enrollment period, without financial penalty.

Keep in mind, employer-provided health insurance coverage has been on the decline in recent years. That is why it is important for disability recipients to take Medicare eligibility seriously. Medicare provides benefits regardless of family or employment status. Additionally, if you are still receiving disability benefits when you turn 65, Medicare will automatically enroll you in Part B.

If you need to speak with an experienced Chicago disability benefits lawyer about whether Medicare coverage is right for you, contact Pearson Disability Law, LLC, today.

Source:

http://www3.illinois.gov/PressReleases/PressReleasesListShow.cfm?RecNum=13852