Is Medicare really available to all 65 and up?!
Question:
Is Medicare really available to all 65 and up?
My mom's current medical plan expires at the end of the month, and since she's 65, she called someone this morning to get on Medicare. The person told her that since her husband grosses $12,000 a year, that she was ineligible. I thought once someone turned 65, they were eligible for Medicare, no matter what. Was I wrong?
Additional Details6 days ago
Comfy, thanks for your response, but isn't Medicaid for the very poor? If my mom's getting turned down for Medicare for having too much (bear in mind, my father's making a whopping 12 grand a year, GROSS), how could she possibly be able to get Medicaid?
The bottom line is that I thought Medicare was available to all over 65, regardless of circumstance.
6 days ago
Zamev,
Thank you for that informative response. It confirms what I believed, and I'm glad I was right. I'll call Medicare tomorrow.
Answers:
Medicare is available to all age 65 and over with very few restrictions, none of the restrictions has to do with income. If she is a foreign national she may have to pay for Part A as well as Part B. She is also eligible for social security if she or her spouse has paid into the system for 40 quarters (10 years). Call the local social security office, they will be able to get her on SS if she qualifies. To find out if she qualifies for Medicare you can call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit the website http://www.medicare.gov/
If she is not eligible she may be able to get Medicaid which is based upon income. You can try calling your local Medicaid office.