There is new health-care legislation working its way through Congress and expected to be enacted this year (perhaps as early as Thursday) so it is too early to say exactly what benefits you will have. Meanwhile, stop smoking.
Medicare Tax
Medicare is a health insurance program for:people age 65 or older,people under age 65 with certain disabilities
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) provides advocacy, resources, and discounts for older adults. Medicare provides healthcare coverage for eligible individuals aged 65 and older, helping to cover a range of medical expenses and services.
65
People over 65 are typically eligible for programs such as Medicare, Social Security retirement benefits, and possibly Medicaid depending on their income and assets. They may also qualify for certain senior discounts and services designed specifically for older individuals.
You must be 65 years of age or older to receive Medicare benefits. All the details of the program can be found at Medicare.gov and this site (ssa.gov/pubs/10043.html) has the medicare publication. There is an age requirement to be at least 18 years of age to be a case head for medicare coverage but other than that any one of any age can receive medicare coverage if eligible.
One thing to remember about Medicare is that it is an individual plan. If you are on Medicare due to disability, that is your Medicare plan alone and your spouse would need to qualify on her own. Unless she has certain disabilities, your spouse would need to be turning 65 to qualify for Medicare. Check the link below to see about eligibility: http://www.medicare.gov/MedicareEligibility/home.asp?version=default&browser=IE%7C7%7CWindows+Vista&language=English
Medicare is health insurance for people age 65 or older, under age 65 with certain disabilities, and any age with End-Stage Renal Disease.
FICA includes two separate taxes: Social Security tax and Medicare tax. Social Security tax is used to fund retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, while Medicare tax pays for healthcare benefits for those aged 65 and older.
Generally, Medicare is available for people age 65 or older, younger people with disabilities and people with End Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant). Medicare has two parts, Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medicare Insurance). You are eligible for premium-free Part A if you are age 65 or older and you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. You can get Part A at age 65 without having to pay premiums if: You are receiving retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board. You are eligible to receive Social Security or Railroad benefits but you have not yet filed for them. You or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment. If you (or your spouse) did not pay Medicare taxes while you worked, and you are age 65 or older and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, you may be able to buy Part A. If you are under age 65, you can get Part A without having to pay premiums if: You have been entitled to Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for 24 months. (Note: If you have Lou Gehrig's disease, your Medicare benefits begin the first month you get disability benefits.) You are a kidney dialysis or kidney transplant patient. While most people do not have to pay a premium for Part A, everyone must pay for Part B if they want it. This monthly premium is deducted from your Social Security, Railroad Retirement, or Civil Service Retirement check. If you do not get any of these payments, Medicare sends you a bill for your Part B premium every 3 months.
You get medicare soon after your 24th consecutive social security check. Sucks, don't it? If you retire at 62, you'll get it at 64. Unless you are receiving [Social Security] Disability Insurance Benefits, eligibility for all parts of Medicare begins at age 65.
Yes, Medicare is considered an entitlement program. It is a federal government program that provides healthcare benefits to eligible individuals aged 65 and older, as well as certain younger individuals with disabilities. Participation in Medicare is considered a right based on meeting certain eligibility criteria, making it an entitlement.