| CHAPTER 4: | Financial Assistance Programs | |
| Topic 6 | Medicare Coverage - Kidney Failure |
Eligibility & Qualification Requirements:
If you have begun a regular course of dialysis or have had a kidney transplant, you are eligible for Medicare if:
- You are receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits or
- you have worked long enough under the Social Security or Railroad Retirement Programs or
- are in Medicare covered government employment to be insured for Medicare; or
- you are the spouse or dependant child of someone who meets any of the above requirements.
What Will Medicare Pay For?
Part A - Hospital
- Inpatient hospital care
- Some skilled nursing facility care
- Hospice Care
- Inpatient hospital costs associated with kidney transplant surgery.
Part B - Medical
- Outpatient health care & hospital care expenses.
- Outpatient dialysis
- Physician services
- Some other medical services, such as: Laboratory tests, home dialysis, equipment, supplies and other services associated with such treatment (not including technician for home dialysis), surgeon fees for transplant surgery.
If you are enrolled in Medicare because of kidney failure, you have the same coverage as anyone else who is on Medicare. That means Medicare will help pay for other hospital and medical services you may need even if they are unrelated to your kidney disease.
HOW TO APPLY
Contact your social security office or the social worker at your dialysis unit.
Social Security Administration | 800-772-1213 | www.ssa.gov