Defining Medicare – What Is It and Who Is Eligible?

What is Medicare?

Medicare is the largest health insurance program in the United States. It is run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), a government agency.

You can join Medicare if you’re 65 or older and:

• You are either a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States, and
• You or your spouse worked at least 10 years in the Medicare-covered employment
• You are under 65 with certain disabilities and
• People of all ages with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), which is permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant.