Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with end-stage renal disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD). Most active employees do not qualify for Medicare; only those 65+ or with certain health issues do. Find out if you are eligible on the Medicare.gov website.
Here are some important resources for understanding Medicare.
- Find physicians - Find physicians and other health care professionals in your area who accept Medicare
- About Medicare Advantage plans
- Medicare.gov homepage - Because Medicare is a federally provided program, you should visit their website for most of your information.
- Access to Physicians' Services for Medicare Beneficiaries, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (August 2013)
- Related news #1: Doctors and Their Medicare Patients, The New York Times (August 31, 2013)
- Related news #2: Report: More doctors accepting Medicare patients, USA Today (August 22, 2013)
- Seniors Love Their Medicare (Advantage), Morning Consult (March 30, 2015)
Reviewed 2019-10-17