Medicare Prescription

Medicare Prescription

Medicare Prescription

Medicare, plain and simple, is a federally funded health care plan for individuals over the age of 65 and for those under 65 who have qualifying disabilities including End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and Lou Gehrig's disease. More than 45 million Americans currently depend on Medicare to help cover the cost of their hospital stays and doctor's visits.

Even though a large number of Americans are enrolled in Medicare, many of them do not understand their Medicare benefits and many Americans do not even know what Medicare really is. Medicare can be quite confusing to those reading about it for the first time so, if you want to learn about this health care program, start with the basics.

Who is Eligible for Medicare?

American citizens who are not already enrolled in a health care plan will be automatically enrolled in Medicare parts A and B when they turn 65 provided the individual or the individual's spouse has worked for at least 10 years and had Medicare taxes taken out of his or her paychecks. Individuals younger than 65 may qualify for Medicare if they have received Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for at least 24 months or if they have End-Stage Renal Disease.