I applied for SSD in '99, finally got approved in '01 with retro payment to back when I applied. So since I got retro I was automatiaccly approved for Medicare because it had been the required months wait. My husbands insurance was always primary and Medicare secondary. I loved it because the Medicare always picked up almost all of any copayment for anything. Now of course I am on just Medicare but many of the insurance compaunies provide the Medicare advantage plans. Yes you have the Medicare D prescrption coverage on those plans but without it I would have no coverage except what prescrption coverage I can get with AAA. Yes, I said AAA. It can save a lot of money! These two months will be tough with paying 100% until I pay $4500. But you just have to prepare for it. Hopefully it won't be difficult to do this. Also I can fall back on my AAA. But I'm not going to do that because I want to get out the gap quickly and get in to the catostrophic part of Medicare D of which most of my meds will be dirt cheap.

Dejibo & Wkikta. Thanks for clearing that up. I took my info from someone I talked to at Social Security, but am slowly learning it is better to find the answers myself. It’s most likely I was so angry to find out that I qualified as Disabled, but did not qualify for Medicare I may not have understood the person at the other end of the phone.

So angry, in fact, I did research the 24-month waiting period (when I probably should have researched the ‘choice’ of Medicare). I could not believe some of things I discovered.

For one thing, while SSDI recipients must wait 24 months for Medicare, SSI recipients qualify immediately for Medicaid. SSI recipients are one of the federal ‘Mandatory Eligibility Groups’ for Medicaid, but SSDI is not.

The "Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009", sponsored by Senator Jeff Bingaman (S700) and Rep. Gene Green (HR1708) would phase out the 24-month waiting period over a span of ten years, but both bills seem to be in limbo, until something is decided on health care reform.

Even the Act would span 10 years. Why not, just add SSDI as one of the ‘Mandatory Eligibility Groups’ now.

I found a great website and fact sheet about the Act, and wish I had enough posts to include links, but I assure you the quotes below are legit, and I will post links when I finally can.

I added the emphasis to ‘keep costs down’, because it ties in to the following from Social Security’s website. This can be found on a page titled “Full Retirement Age is Increasing”.

So, you would think that with the full retirement age increasing, so would the age for Medicare Eligibility. At least that is what I thought. I was wrong. This from Social Security’s Medicare FAQs.

What am I missing? Could they not afford Medicare for all of us with Disabilities if they raised the Medicare eligibility age to 67 as well? And, the 1972 legislation referenced 'still receiving benefits under a private group plan'. I don't know if it was true then, but it certainly isn't true now. Yet, people still employed past 65 are most likely still insured under a private group plan, but if you look at the Medicare FAQs, they actually encourage them to apply when they turn 65. I just don't get it.

I really have to wonder if our legislators might be in violation of their own ADA Act.

Please forgive the rant. This has been one of my hot buttons.

I just got Medicare via SSDI. I had the option of refusing Medicare but a salesman who sells supplements told me if I refused it I could not get it until I'm 65.

Now that I've learned about Doughnut Holes in Part D Rx plans, it appears that it would be more cost effective for me if I got a plan through the Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare. When I called Medicare about opting out, I was told that since I did not decline in when first eligible, I CAN'T GET OUT of Medicare. They take $200 out of my SSDI check for Medicare and now I'm in the maze of trying to pick a Part D plan with a formulary that includes all my meds AND a Medicare Supplement. Its really confusing and makes me angry that I cannot opt out of Medicare.

Any guidance appreciated. My brain doesn't work Luke it used to. I think its the Gabepentin.

Yes, it is a comedy of errors that people who frequently have cognitive dysfunction have to negotiate these complex rapids thought. When I applied for SSDI I was more cognitively impaired than I am now, simply from a long period of exhaustion, having tried to work and function normally long past the date when I couldn't do that. It saved me that my husband was working and still had an insurance plan that covered me, even after my Cobra expired. And it did take 3 years to get SSDI, so by then I was eligible for Medicare. Medicare plus my husband's Secondary was excellent coverage, I cannot complain in that respect. If only it had covered dental, which now absorbs about 20% of my gross income. But in general I did OK. I cannot imagine how people can maneuver who have no other income or insurance in the family.
And my application for SSDI was lost twice, then found by my congressman's office in Washington DC.
As I said, all this happening to a person with cognitive impairment makes one realize how hard it is for people who were disabled all their lives, how hard to learn and cope.

Medicare and Medicaid are two different things. Income and asset levels are used to determine if one is eligible for Medicaid. Medicare is for those 65 and older OR approved for disability.

When you file for disability (SSDI), you are also given an opportunity to also file for supplemental income (SSI).

Hope this helps some.

I believe I was told I could not get SSI. Why might that have been? Because I am not in my 60's maybe?

SSI is based on income and assets owned, NOT age.

You should check out the Medicare.gov website. I believe there is a PENALTY for failing to take Medicare when you are eligible if certain circumstances exist. Too many if's and's but's to write the info. As with all government things, it is never simple. Never simply a YES, NO.

It is not the meds........ it is the policy that is so confusing.

Folks, this thread is 2 years old. Laws may have changed.

Its easy to get confused on WHEN you get Medicare after being granted SSDI. Its 2 years from the day you FIRST APPLIED for ssdi. In my case, I applied for SSDI and was denied. I applied again and was approved. This was over the course of 2 years. So when my approval came through, my waiting period for Medicare had also been met. I got it pretty much along with my first check..............which I got within 10 days. Again, if you apply and are denied....you are still going through all waiting periods if you are later approved.

For those approved right away.....they wait for their first check and they have to wait to receive Medicare.

Medicare is always primary and I still have Hubby's insurance (BCBS) so it becomes secondary and pays for most things Medicare does not. I haven't had any issues with doctors so far. Sometimes they will say they take Medicare, but do not accept what it pays.......so I have more of a cost share.
However, with the new healthcare law in place and cuts to Medicare....I can not speculate what will happen in the future.