www.Medicarerights.org

There seems to be a lot of confusion about who is eligible for Medicare and maybe confusing the federal system of Medicare with federally funded But state operated systems of Medicaid.

Medicare is a Federal Health Insurance Program for older adults AND people with disabilities of any age, even children. Right now, anyone who receives SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is eligible for Medicare in 24 months, NO MATTER where the person lives. (As someone noted yesterday, there is an effort to get rid of that 24 month waiting period).

Here is a website to a 20 year old non-profit Medicare Rights Advocacy group which is available to us ... they have phone advocates, several newsletters, the website itself ----anything you need to know about Medicare.

www.medicarerights.org

I receive one of the newsletters published by the Center electronically called Dear Marci which answers questions from people ... questions that I often hadn't thought about before so I'm getting great info before I'm even eligible (I can begin April 2010).

You can choose to subscribe electronically to one or more of the Center's newsletters or just call and ask
questions or search the website to check it out.

I hope this helps clarify some of this info for members...we have enough to deal with .... fighting for benefits we are entitled to shouldn't be added to the list.