MEDICARE ELIGIBILITY
All employees hired after March 31, 1986 have been required by federal law to pay taxes into the Medicare system. These payments may be sufficient to establish Medicare eligibility.
MEDICARE PART A - Age 65 or Older
Medicare Part A is free to anyone age 65 or older who is either:
- Eligible to receive a monthly Social Security benefit, or
- Eligible based on wages on which sufficient Medicare payroll tax was paid
You automatically
apply for Medicare Part A when you apply for Social Security benefits. Your
spouse may also qualify for Part A coverage at age 65, based on your eligibility
for Social Security. To be eligible for Part A, you do not have to enroll
in Part B. If you are not eligible for free Part A coverage, you may purchase
this coverage.
MEDICARE PART A - Under Age 65 and Disabled
Medicare Part A is free to anyone under age 65 who is disabled and has either:
- Received Social Security disability benefits for 24 months as a worker,
surviving spouse, or adult child of a retired, disabled, or deceased
worker; or
- Accumulated
a sufficient number of Social Security credits to be insured for
Medicare and meets the requirements of the Social Security disability
program.
MEDICARE PART B - Automatic Enrollment
When you enroll in Medicare Part A, you are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part B unless you decline it. This rule applies to everyone age 65 or older and to those under age 65 and disabled.
Part
B coverage always requires payment of a monthly premium, which is
ordinarily deducted from your Social Security benefit. If specific
requirements are met, you may qualify for the County's Medicare Part
B Premium Reimbursement Program (subject to an annual review by the
Board of Supervisors). If you qualify, you may be reimbursed for
the Medicare Part B Premium base rate only. For more information,
visit the Medicare
Part B eligibility page.
For details about Medicare eligibility and coverage, you may:
- Read
Medicare & You,
a booklet mailed to Medicare recipients every fall by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS). You can also view it online.
- Visit the Medicare website at www.medicare.gov.
- Call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
For more information about the LACERA Retiree Health Care Benefits
Program, visit the Retiree Health Care section.
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