Generally, Medicare is for people 65 or older. You may be able to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant), or ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease).
Medicare has four parts:
Most people don’t pay a premium for Part A coverage. This is sometimes called “premium-free Part A.” You won’t pay a Part A premium if you:
If you don’t qualify for premium-free Part A, you might be able to buy it.
You’ll pay a premium for Part B coverage every month, even if you don’t get any Part B-covered services. The monthly premium can change each year and may be higher depending on your income. Most people don’t get a bill from Medicare because they get the premium deducted automatically from their Social Security, Railroad Retirement Board, or Civil Service Retirement check. If you don’t get any of these payments, you’ll get a bill for your Part B premium so you can pay Medicare directly.
Monthly premiums for Part C coverage vary based on which plan you join. The premium amount can change each year.
Monthly premiums for Part D coverage vary based on which plan you join. The premium amount can change each year. You may also have to pay an extra amount each month based on your income.