**Click Here** to be taken to Bankrate, Inc. article on when to file for Medicare.

• People 65 years
• Disabled individuals (24 consecutive months)
• People with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
• Spouses of eligible workers, certain divorced persons, widows and widowers, and dependents

Medicare consists of two parts:

• Part A - hospital insurance - helps pay for inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility rehabilitation care and some home health care.
• Part B - medical insurance - covers physician services, outpatient hospital care, durable medical equipment, ambulance service and lab tests. 
• Part A and Part B have deductibles and coinsurance (see below)

Eligibility is automatic if you are collecting Social Security retirement benefits.  Part A is free if you have worked at least 10 years (40 quarters of Medicare-covered employment).  Part B has a monthly premium. 

 What if you do not have 40 quarters? : = If you have not worked at least 10 years, you may be eligible to buy Part A coverage: For people having 30-39 quarters of Medicare-covered employment, they can pay a monthly premium to obtain coverage ($278/month).  For people having less than 30 quarters of Medicare-covered employment, they may also obtain coverage for a higher monthly premuim ($505/month).

Part A - Medicare and Inpatient costs 2024 (Acute hospital care; limited coverage for skilled nursing home, hospice and home care. No private duty nursing, no TV and no telephone; private room only if medically necessary)

Days	Medicare Pays	Patient Pays (Co-insurance)
1 through 60	Everything after deductible is paid	Deductible of $1,632 is owed (no coninsurance)
61 through 90	Everything after Co-Insurance is paid	Daily Co-Insurance of $408.00
91 through 150   {life time reserve days - once per life-time}	Everything after Co-Insurance is paid	Daily Co-Insurance of $816.00
151+	Nothing	All costs**
$800/day while using your 60 lifetime reserve days	.	**Supplemental insurance or Medicaid can help cover these costs