Medicare for people under 65 with disabilities.
Medicare isn’t only for age 65+. People under 65 can become eligible for Medicare in three situations.
SSDI for 24 months
If you’ve received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for 24 months, you’re automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B in the 25th month. This is the most common path to Medicare under 65.
End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
If you’ve been diagnosed with ESRD requiring regular dialysis or a kidney transplant, you can enroll in Medicare regardless of age. Coverage typically begins the fourth month of dialysis (sooner in some cases).
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS / Lou Gehrig’s disease)
If you’ve been diagnosed with ALS, Medicare coverage begins the same month your SSDI benefits start — no 24-month waiting period.
Plan options for under-65 beneficiaries
Under-65 beneficiaries with disabilities have access to the same Medicare Advantage and Part D plans available to age-65+ enrollees in their service area. However, Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan availability for under-65 beneficiaries is governed by state law — not all states require carriers to offer Medigap to under-65 enrollees, and those that do often allow higher premiums for the under-65 group.
When you turn 65
If you became Medicare-eligible due to disability before 65, your Medigap rights typically reset when you turn 65 — opening a new 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period at standard age-65 underwriting.
How a licensed agent helps
A licensed El-Mag agent walks through your eligibility, identifies plan options in your state, and explains how Medigap availability and pricing changes when you turn 65.
Talk to a licensed agent.