| A majority of persons over the age of 65 and | | | | fall under one of the following categories: |
| are citizens or have established permanent | | | | - You have either received or been eligible to |
| residency in the United States will most likely be | | | | receive Social Security disability benefits for at |
| an eligible candidate for free Medicare hospital | | | | least 24 months. |
| insurance. You will be eligible at or beyond age 65 | | | | - You have received a disability pension under the |
| if you fall under the following categories: | | | | railroad retirement board and/or you have met |
| - You either are a recipient or are eligible to be a | | | | certain conditions. |
| recipient for Social Security benefits. | | | | - You are effected by Lou Gehrig's disease. |
| - You either are a recipient or are eligible to be a | | | | - You have been employed in a government job |
| recipient for railroad retirement benefits. | | | | where you paid Medicare taxes and/or you have |
| - Either your spouse (living, deceased or | | | | met the conditions of the Social Security disability |
| otherwise) or you paid Medicare taxes while you | | | | program. |
| were working in a government job. | | | | - You are either the child or the widow(er) and |
| - You are a dependent parent of a person who | | | | you are age 50 or older of a person that has |
| paid Medicare taxes while working in a | | | | been employed in a government job where |
| government job. | | | | Medicare taxes were paid and/or the person had |
| If, for any reason, you do not fall under the | | | | met the conditions of the Social Security disability |
| categories above, you may still have the ability to | | | | program. |
| receive Medicare hospital insurance by choosing to | | | | - You suffer from permanent kidney failure and |
| pay a preset monthly premium. However, you | | | | are a recipient of maintenance dialysis and/or a |
| must sign up for the hospital insurance during the | | | | kidney transplant. |
| designated periods of enrollment. Please note that | | | | - You either are a recipient or are eligible to be a |
| to receive full benefits when you need them, you | | | | recipient for railroad retirement benefits. |
| should enroll yourself in Medicare several months | | | | - You have been employed for a certain period of |
| before you turn 65 officially. | | | | time in a government job that is covered by |
| If you are under the age 65, you may still be | | | | Medicare. |
| eligible for free Medicare hospital insurance if you | | | | |