Social Security disability (SSDI) and Medicare eligibility - does it really start after 24 months?

The correct waiting period is 24 months after you become entitled to receive SSDI, not 15 months. This is a common misunderstanding. The 24-month waiting period begins with the month you're entitled to your first SSDI payment, not the onset date. There are only a few exceptions to this rule - ALS patients get Medicare immediately, and people with End Stage Renal Disease have different rules. If your husband doesn't have either of those conditions, he'll need to wait the full 24 months after his entitlement date before Medicare begins.

my sister got it after 24 months not 15. they told her wrong too at first

The 24 month waiting period is RIDICULOUS!! My husband got SSDI last year and we're stuck paying COBRA for another year which is $1,100 A MONTH!!! How do they expect disabled people to afford this?? The system is completely broken and nobody at SSA cares. We've called them 5 times about possibly getting it sooner and they just say "those are the rules" with zero compassion!!

The waiting period is definitely 24 months from your SSDI entitlement date, not 15. Here's how to calculate it: 1. Find the date your husband was entitled to his first SSDI payment (this appears on his award letter) 2. Add 24 months to that date 3. Medicare coverage will begin on the 1st day of that month For example, if his entitlement date was March 2025, Medicare would begin March 2027. Regarding his disability onset date - that's used to determine back payments, but the Medicare clock starts with his first SSDI entitlement month, which is typically 5 months after the established onset date (due to the 5-month SSDI waiting period). One important note: He will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B when eligible, but he'll receive the Medicare card and information about 3 months before coverage starts. He can decline Part B if he has other coverage, but most people on SSDI keep it.

I think your waiting period could be shorter if your husband has backdated SSDI payments. When I got approved, they established my onset date as 18 months earlier, so I only had to wait another 6 months for Medicare to kick in after approval. If his onset date was 8 months ago like you said, some of that time might count toward the 24 months. Call SSA to get the exact date he'll be eligible!

Good luck getting through to SSA on the phone! I tried for WEEKS to ask about my Medicare start date when I was on SSDI. Always busy signals or 3+ hour wait times, and then I'd get disconnected! So frustrating.

To clarify some confusion in this thread: The 24-month Medicare waiting period begins with your first month of SSDI entitlement (which comes after the 5-month SSDI waiting period). For example: - Established onset date: June 1, 2024 - 5-month SSDI waiting period: June-October 2024 - First SSDI entitlement month: November 2024 - 24-month Medicare waiting period: November 2024-October 2026 - Medicare begins: November 1, 2026 Also important: During the waiting period, your husband may qualify for Medicaid depending on your household income and state, or for subsidized Marketplace coverage. The SSDI income might make him eligible for better options than COBRA.

wait i thought medicare was only for people over 65???