Medicare

What is it and who can receive it?

Medicare is a federal government health insurance program provided to people 65 and older, those who are under 65 years of age with a disability who have received Social Security or Railroad Retiree disability benefits for 24 consecutive months, those with a diagnosis of ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and people with end-stage renal disease. A person must also be a US citizen and resident of the U.S. or an alien living in the U.S. for five years who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence. It is made available to a person regardless of their income or financial need.

Are there different kinds of Medicare?

Medicare is made up of five parts: Part A (hospital coverage), Part B (medical coverage), Part C (Medicare Advantage, or plans offered by private insurance companies), Part D (prescription coverage), and Medicare Supplement (or Medigap, extra insurance offered by private insurance companies).

How do I sign up?

Signing up for Medicare can be very confusing. There are different ways that people become eligible. There are also different ways of signing up and important deadlines. There are enrollment periods. Depending on your situation, some of the options may work better for you than others. There is also a program that might help you cover some costs if your income and resources are limited.

The State of Iowa offers free one-one-one, confidential help through the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP). You can find more information about the services SHIIP provides on their website. SHIIP counselors are located throughout Iowa.You can find your nearest SHIIP office location on Iowa SHIIP's Find a Counselor page. SHIIP also offers free, online Medicare information seminars

Where can I get more information or help?

 


Ask a Law Librarian

Iowa SHIIP offers free Medicare counseling and resources to Iowans.

Visit the Iowa SHIIP website for more details.

Related Pages

Overview of Medicaid

HCBS Elderly Waiver

Managed Care Ombudsman Program

Overview of SSI

Health Insurance Basics

The information in the People's Law Library is for informational purposes only. Nothing on this website is legal advice. The law is complicated and many aspects of the law change regularly. Consider reaching out to a lawyer. More information about how to find a lawyer, including free and low-cost options, is available on the Finding a Lawyer page.