The Medicare Program

• Eligible individuals can receive Medicare Part A without paying a premium. Most people automatically receive Medicare Part A when they turn age 65 if they paid Medicare taxes while working. People who do not automatically receive Medicare Part A may purchase it. Individuals who seek to enroll in Medicare Part B must pay a monthly premium. Medicare Part A is hospital insurance that helps pay for in-patient hospital and hospice care, home health care, and skilled nursing facility costs. Medicare Part B is medical insurance that helps pay for doctors, outpatient hospital care, and other medical services. The Medicare Advantage Plan -- Part C -- are plans offered by private companies. Part C usually offers extra coverage for services that are not included in Part A. Medicare Part D offers two plans to eligible members to help cover the costs of prescription drugs.
  
  

Medicare Eligibility

• Individuals 65 or older are typically eligible for Medicare if they or their spouse have worked at least 10 years in Medicare-covered employment. Individuals already receiving retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board, or eligible for them and have not yet filed, may receive Medicare Part A without paying a premium. You also can receive Medicare Part A without paying a premium if you or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment. Eligibility for Medicare Part C differs per plan. Individuals seeking to participate in Part C must contact the administrator of the plan they are interested in for eligibility requirements. Individuals seeking to participate in Medicare Part D must already participate in Part A or Part B.
  
  

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is administered by the Social Security Administration Program to provide assistance to low-income individuals 65 or older who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. SSI is not the same as Social Security benefits, although many individuals qualify for both programs. As of Jan. 1, 2010, the monthly SSI benefits are $674 per individual and $1,011 per couple. All benefits are paid on the first of the month.
  
  

SSI Eligibility

• Individuals 65 and older who have very limited income and resources are eligible to receive SSI. There are no age restrictions for the disabled. Typically, the more income you have, the less SSI benefits you will receive. Individuals are not eligible for SSI if their income is over the monthly SSI benefit amount. Income includes wages, self-employed earnings, Social Security, unemployment, and disability benefits, and food and shelter received for free. The maximum amount of resources is $2,000 for an individual and child and $3,000 for a couple. Resources that are used in calculating the total amount include cash, bank accounts, stocks and bonds, land, personal property, vehicles and other items that have cash value.