Co-Founder, TermInsuranceBrokers.com, Goldenzweig Financial Group, Las Vegas, Nevada
Unfortunately no, you cannot simply buy into Medicare.
To secure Medicare benefits, you must meet certain eligibility requirements. The most common way people qualify for Medicare is by turning 65 years old. Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) is premium-free for most individuals (if you did not secure 40 credits, you would be subject to a monthly premium up to $426 per month). Medicare Part B (medical insurance) requires a monthly premium (starting point is $104.90 per month in 2014 - can be higher for higher-income individuals).
The other way people qualify is if they're under 65 and are receiving social security disability benefits (must have been receiving SS disability benefits for 24 continuous months) or have end-stage renal disease.
Once you have Part A & Part B established, many people look into adding a Medigap plan to cover the gaps in Original Medicare (Parts A & B) and a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan if they want to have prescription drug coverage.
That is a great question! Unfortunately, the answer is no, you cannot just purchase Medicare. The program was set up to ensure that senior citizens would have the opportunity to have access to affordable health care, and thus has age and income restrictions. If you are below the age of 65 an are seeking help with your health insurance, I suggest that you look at the www.healthcare.gov site, as there are subsidies given to folks who qualify. I read a story just a few minutes ago on Google about a woman who had been paying $120 a month for a prescription that now cost her $1 thanks to her plan purchased through the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) site. If you need help, please feel free to contact me, okay? Thanks for asking!
You can purchase Medicare Part A and B if you are 65 or older and do not have enough work credits to qualify for Medicare. The monthly premium for Part A is $411 this year and the monthly premium for Part B is $121.80. Most people on Medicare pay for their Part B coverage so what you have to purchase is the Part A coverage.
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To secure Medicare benefits, you must meet certain eligibility requirements. The most common way people qualify for Medicare is by turning 65 years old. Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) is premium-free for most individuals (if you did not secure 40 credits, you would be subject to a monthly premium up to $426 per month). Medicare Part B (medical insurance) requires a monthly premium (starting point is $104.90 per month in 2014 - can be higher for higher-income individuals).
The other way people qualify is if they're under 65 and are receiving social security disability benefits (must have been receiving SS disability benefits for 24 continuous months) or have end-stage renal disease.
Once you have Part A & Part B established, many people look into adding a Medigap plan to cover the gaps in Original Medicare (Parts A & B) and a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan if they want to have prescription drug coverage.