The road to getting approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can be a long and bumpy one. To qualify, a person must have a disability or other medical condition that will prevent them from working for at least a year.
Approval, however, isn’t the end of the road. While SSDI provides financial support to those unable to work, it doesn’t immediately include health insurance. SSDI recipients can get insurance through Medicare, even if they haven’t reached the usual qualifying age of 65.
However, there’s a mandatory 24-month waiting period after they begin receiving SSDI benefits before they’re covered by Medicare. That waiting period is intended to save money for a program that needs to cover an aging American population.
That means California residents typically need to get health insurance through Covered California or, if they qualify, through Medi-Cal (California’s version of Medicaid) unless they have a spouse with an employer-sponsored plan. Some may end up going without insurance at all once their own employer-sponsored coverage ends (if they even had such coverage).
What researchers have discovered about waiting period mortality rates
Researchers have studied the effect of this two-year wait for Medicare on mortality rates for SSDI beneficiaries who are already dealing with serious medical conditions compared to the general population. Among new beneficiaries from 2000 to 2019, those with cancer, digestive system conditions and systemic diseases like COPD, cirrhosis and heart failure had the highest mortality rates during their waiting period.
Note that currently only those with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are exempt from this waiting period. For those with ESRD, Medicare coverage can begin “3 months after a course of regular dialysis begins or after a kidney transplant,” according to the Center for Medicare Advocacy.
It’s essential that those who can no longer work because of a serious illness or disability ensure that they have continued health insurance if they are losing employer-sponsored insurance. This is not the time to skip check-ups, ration medication or rely on emergency care.
It’s also crucial to apply for and start receiving SSDI benefits as soon as possible, as that will start the clock on the Medicare coverage. Getting experienced guidance can help people navigate the SSDI application process and help prevent unnecessary denials and delays that can affect their physical, mental and financial well-being.
