Most individuals don’t know the difference between Social Security Disability and Medicare Disability. In most cases, you will hear lawmakers discussing the difference between the two and raising the eligibility age for both Medicare and Social Security. They also talk about privatizing the two programs. The proposals of the two programs always sound the same making it difficult to differentiate them.
You should understand that the two programs are not the same; however, they do have some similarities, and most individuals in the country receive benefits simultaneously from the two programs. Here are the differences between Social Security Disability and Medicare disability programs.
Social Security Disability
Social Security Disability is a government-controlled income program for older individuals who have worked and contributed towards the Social Security taxes for ten years and above. Social Security Disability also provides survivor and spousal benefits as well as other forms of compensation. Individuals under the age of 65 years are eligible for the benefits if they are disabled. Also, you should understand that the Social Security Disability is an insurance program that is based upon the insured status earned upon a person’s work activity.
The payroll deductions are primarily the Social Security insurance program’s payments. The earnings, which the IRS reports every year, helps determine the number of quarters of coverage an individual can receive in a year. The highest amount of quarters an individual can be able to earn in a year is four and the total amount of quarters of social security work credits needed for the insured status depends on the age that an individual became disabled.
In Social Security Disability, the minimum amount of the quarters of coverage needed to insure an individual is six, while the maximum amount of the quarters required to ensure the person for disability is forty. The Social Security Disability features a second requirement for the disability insured status. For individuals to qualify for this program, they must be fully insured for their disability. In general, the program requires the applicant to have paid tax and worked for at least half of the forty possible quarters before they became disabled.
Medicare Disability
Medicare Disability is also a government-controlled program for the older individuals designed to offer health insurance coverage for individuals 65 years and above who have paid the Medicare taxes and have worked for over ten years. Individuals can purchase the Medicare coverage program if their work history is not more than ten years. You can also obtain the program based on your spouse’s work history.
The program offers health insurance benefits to young individuals who have kidney failure or those who are disabled. For you to be eligible for the Medicare Disability, you must qualify for the Social Security Disability Income benefits. The exception is for individuals with the end-stage renal disease since they automatically qualify for the program on the basis of having the illness. You must receive the SSDI income benefits for you to qualify for the Medicare program.
The SSDI monthly benefits are based on the work credits, and they are earned through the Medicare-Covered government employment, Social Security or Railroad Retirement. If you do not qualify for the SSDI and you don’t have the work credits, you can qualify for other benefit programs like the Supplemental Security Income. For you to qualify for the SSDI program, you must not be able to work for one year as a result of a mental or a qualifying physical impairment, combination of impairments or any terminal condition that may result from an impairment.
How Most Individuals Confuse Social Security Disability and Medicare Disability
The confusion originates from the fact that the Social Security Administration is responsible for handling and determining the eligibility for Medicare Disability programs and the program’s administrative functions which include enrollment. The body also manages the administration of the Social Security benefits.
Since SSA controls the eligibility for both Social Security and Medicare benefits, individuals who start receiving the Social Security retiree benefits before the age of 65 will be enrolled in the Medicare program once they attain 65 years. Most elderly individuals are beneficiaries of these programs receiving monthly checks from the Social Security program to provide retirement income along with the health insurance for Medicare.
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