If you become disabled before retirement age and are awarded social security disability benefits, you will be entitled to Medicare benefits after a 24 month waiting period. Some disability recipients, however, do not even have to wait for 24 months to start Medicare. The standard 24 month waiting period has been eliminated for SSDI recipients diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease and for individuals diagnosed with end-stage renal disease or kidney failure. These 2 exceptions are due to the poor prognosis of these diseases and the result of extensive lobbying efforts by support groups and advocates who work with individuals with these challenges.
