Disability

Now that you’ve won your disability claim, you may wonder when your Medicare coverage begins.

Typically, the start date of your coverage will depend on when your Onset Date of Disability was determined to be with Medicare. Most commonly, this date is 29 months after your onset date. This time period includes a five-month waiting period between your onset date and the start of your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments, followed by another 24 months of receiving those payments before reaching your Medicare effective date.

Sometimes, coverage may begin sooner. If you are diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), your coverage begins after the five-month waiting period when your SSDI payments begin. Your Medicare coverage also begins.

If your onset date was determined to be over 29 months before your Notice of Award (NOA), your coverage will begin after you receive your NOA. Your effective date of coverage will be listed on your Medicare card in the information package sent to you by Medicare. The packet will typically be sent to you within approximately 30 days of receiving your NOA.

You can find more information about Disability and Medicare coverage on our FAQ page.