Social Security Disability and Medicare: What Do You Need to Know?

Disability and Medicare. Two humongous federal program collide ... and you are stuck in the crash.

The Waiting Period

Medicare for a disabled person (not retirement age) starts 2 years from the date the person is actually entitled to benefits. Not 2 years from the when the person became disabled.

Example: Susan stopped working February 15, 2002. She applied for benefits on April 28, 2004. On June 6, 2006, a Judge ruled that she became disabled the day she quit work: Feb. 15, 2002. However, she can only be paid cash benefits for a year prior to her application. So they begin in May, 2003. BU there is a five month waiting period. So she is entitlement (to cash) actually began October 2003. NOW you add the 2 year waiting period. October 2005 is when her Medicare eligibility began.

Because the beginning date of Susan's Medicare (October 2005)is before the decision, she now has a choice of whether or not to accept the benefits going back that far or not. If she accepts, she must pay her monthly co-pays back to October 2005. Susan will have to decide if she has any medical bills from that period that can still be paid by Medicare.

Medicare and Disability: Questions?

A wonderful resource for anyone with Social Security Disability-Medicare questions is the Medicare Rights Center. Please visit them at: Medicare Rights Center. Recently, some Representatives and Senators have been pushing to close the 24 month waiting period. If there is renewed Congressional interest in the subject of disability and Medicare, I will post info here:

For now, try: thomas.loc.gov. and type in: "Medicare waiting period".