Am I eligible for Medicare or Medicaid benefits?

Question: Am I eligible for Medicare or Medicaid benefits?

Answer:

People who are 65 or older are eligible for Medicare. If you are permanently disabled, you may also be eligible for Medicare benefits.

Each state has its own eligibility requirements for Medicaid. As a general rule, if your income is low AND you meet one of the following criteria, your odds of qualifying for Medicaid are good:

• You are pregnant; OR
• You are the parent or guardian of minor children; OR
• You are aged, blind, or disabled

You can contact your state's Medicaid office to find out if you would be eligible for benefits.

There are also some online tools which might help you determine what government programs you may be eligible for. The Social Security Administration has a screening tool that will determine if you are eligible for disability or low-income benefits.

Also, try BenefitsCheckUp - it is a more comprehensive resource that can link you to all types of federal, state, and local government benefits.