Policy and Systems

When Your Early Medicare Can Begin

Your Medicare coverage will begin on the later of:

the first day of the 25th month you are entitled to receive annuity payments, or
the first day of the 30th calendar month after your disability began.

An individual with permanent kidney failure (chronic renal disease) is eligible at any age. However, the Social Security Administration must be contacted for this coverage.

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Eligibility Requirements for Early Medicare

To be eligible for Medicare coverage before age 65, a disabled widow(er) annuitant must:

be at least age 50, and
permanently disabled before the end of the prescribed period (see Part V, Item 6, for the definition of prescribed period).

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Types of Medicare Coverage

This part provides general information about early Medicare coverage. For a more complete explanation of the Medicare program, please refer to booklet RB-20, "Medicare for Railroad Workers and Their Families".

Medicare is the Federal health insurance program for people age 65 or older and certain disabled people. One part of Medicare (Part A) provides Hospital Insurance benefits. Another part (Part B) provides Medical Insurance.

Hospital Insurance helps pay for:

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Part III - Applying for Early Medicare Coverage

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When Your Disability Annuity Could End

At Age 60

At age 60, your entitlement to a disability annuity ends and your entitlement to an aged widow(er)'s annuity begins. This means that your entitlement to annuity payments is no longer affected by the restrictions that apply to disability annuitants as discussed in this booklet. However, your annuity is still subject to the restrictions for aged widow(er) annuitants discussed in booklet RB-17, Survivor Annuities. If you do not have a copy of that booklet, you should request one.

Before Age 60

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Felony Conviction Can Affect Your Annuity

The amount of your annuity may be affected if you are:

convicted of a felony which was committed after October 19,1980, or
imprisoned or confined for being convicted of a felony.

See Part V, Item 1, for the definition of confinement and felony.

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How Work Can Affect Your Disability Annuity Payments

Before Age 60

If you perform work after your disability annuity begins, full monthly payments will continue until it is determined that your disability has ended and you are no longer entitled to a disability annuity. Your annuity is not payable for any month in which you work for a railroad employer, or any month where you perform substantial gainful work after your trial work period, and you must return your annuity payment for that month to the RRB.