Establishing your eligibility for Social Security Disability benefits is not only necessary to ensure that you have income if you are unable to work, but it can provide for medical care through the Medicare Program that might otherwise be unaffordable. If you have been receiving Social Security Disability benefits for two years, the Social Security Administration will automatically enroll you in Medicare’s hospital and medical insurance plans.  Once you qualify to receive disability benefits, you are instantly qualified to be enrolled in the Medicare Part A and Part B plans.

Coverage under Medicare Part A is funded by the Social Security taxes that you paid into when you were working.  This portion of Medicare covers part of the costs of hospitalizations and inpatient medical treatments.  Medicare Part B requires you to pay for coverage, but offers assistance with medical services, including physician office visits and outpatient treatments

Medicare’s Medical Advantage Program Offers the Disabled a Wide Variety of Choices

Medicare has several other plans that offer assistance to those receiving long-term disability benefits.  Medicare Part C falls under the Medicare Medical Advantage program and allows you to work with private insurance companies who are part of a large network of medical professionals.  Anyone who has Part A and B plans with Medicare can take advantage of this option.  When you are covered under Medicare’s Part C plan, you can choose plans with Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), Private Fee-for-Service Plans, Special Needs Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans. 

Medicare also has Part D coverage, which is a prescription drug plan.  This plan offers help for the medications that are often prescribed as part of your treatment plan.  There are many different Medicare prescription drug plans, and each determines the cost of their prescribed drugs using a formulary, which is a list of preferred drugs and their prices.  In some cases, exceptions can be made to lower the cost of some of the more expensive medications.

The Philadelphia Social Security Disability Lawyers of Silver & Silver Are Available to Discuss your Disability-related Medicare Issues

If you are receiving long-term disability benefits, the Philadelphia Social Security attorneys at Silver & Silver can answer all your questions about the Medicare plans offered and what benefits you are entitled to receive.  Our law offices are located in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, and are easily accessible from communities throughout the Philadelphia area and its surrounding suburbs of Delaware County, Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, and Berks County, as well as in the South Jersey communities of Camden, Burlington, Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Haddonfield, Moorestown, Mt. Laurel, Gloucester, Atlantic County and others. Call us at 1-800-94SILVER (1-800-947-4583) to schedule a free consultation or contact us online.