Yes, you can receive both SSI and Medicare, but the way it works depends on how you became disabled

You can hold both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicare at the same time. The path to having both is different depending on whether you may have access to for SSI as a disabled adult, a blind adult, or as a child whose parent or grandparent receives Social Security. Medicare may be able to access is tied to your work history or your parent's work history, not to SSI itself — so the two programs operate independently.

The most common scenario is someone who receives Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) first, then becomes poor enough to also receive SSI. Another path is someone who receives SSI as a disabled adult and later becomes covered by Medicare through a family member's work record. Understanding which path applies to you matters because it affects your income limits, your medical coverage, and how much money you actually receive each month.

Key Takeaways

  • You can receive SSI and Medicare simultaneously; they are separate programs with different rules about who qualifies.
  • If you receive SSDI for 24 months, you automatically become enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B, regardless of your age or SSI status.
  • SSI recipients under 65 do not automatically get Medicare; you must have a separate may have access to condition or family work history to be covered.
  • Receiving both programs means you have a monthly SSI payment plus health coverage through Medicare, but your income from one program counts toward SSI's income limits.

How Medicare may be able to access works if you receive SSI

Medicare is not automatically given to SSI recipients. Instead, Medicare is based on work history — either your own or a family member's. The Social Security Administration tracks work credits earned through payroll taxes. If you have worked and paid into Social Security for enough quarters, you can receive Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) and Part B (doctor visits and outpatient care) even if you are also on SSI.

If you have not worked enough to earn Medicare on your own record, you may still be covered through a parent's or spouse's work history. This is called Medicare on a family member's record. For example, if your parent worked and paid into Social Security, and you became disabled before age 22, you may be able to receive Medicare based on their record. The same applies if you are the spouse of someone receiving Social Security or SSDI.

The most straightforward path to having both SSI and Medicare is to first receive SSDI. After you receive SSDI for 24 consecutive months, Medicare Part A and Part B are automatically enrolled. At that point, you may later become poor enough to also receive SSI — and you will keep your Medicare coverage.

The automatic Medicare enrollment after 24 months of SSDI

If you are approved for SSDI, Social Security will automatically enroll you in Medicare Part A and Part B after you have been receiving SSDI for 24 months. This happens without you having to do anything. You will receive a Medicare card in the mail, and your coverage begins on the 25th month of your SSDI award.

This 24-month waiting period is a fixed rule — it does not matter how old you are, how much money you have, or whether you also receive SSI. The waiting period starts from the month you first became may have access to to SSDI, not from the month you actually received your first payment. If there was a delay in processing your claim, the 24 months still counts from your established onset date.

Once you have Medicare, you keep it even if your SSDI payment stops or changes. If you later become poor enough to also receive SSI, your Medicare continues. This is one reason why many people pursue SSDI first — it is a pathway to both income support and health coverage.

What happens to your SSI payment if you have Medicare

Having Medicare does not reduce your SSI payment. SSI is based on your income and resources, not on your health coverage. However, if you receive any other income — such as wages, SSDI, or payments from another source — that income counts toward SSI's income limit and will reduce your SSI payment dollar-for-dollar above the monthly exclusion.

SSI has a monthly income limit that varies by state but is typically around $943 for an individual (as of 2024; this amount changes yearly). If you receive SSDI, that SSDI payment counts as income and reduces your SSI. For example, if you receive $800 per month in SSDI and $943 in SSI, your actual SSI payment would be reduced because your SSDI income exceeds the limit.

The key point: Medicare itself is not counted as income because it is health coverage, not cash. But any cash payments you receive from other programs do count, and they will lower your SSI amount.

SSI recipients under 65 who do not automatically get Medicare

If you receive SSI but do not have work history and do not may have access to through a family member's record, you will not have Medicare until you turn 65. At age 65, you become enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B automatically, even if you have never worked. This is called Medicare at 65, and it is available to all U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are 65 or older, regardless of income or work history.

Until age 65, you may be covered by Medicaid instead. Medicaid is a separate program run by states, and SSI recipients in most states are automatically enrolled in Medicaid. Medicaid covers doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescriptions, similar to Medicare, but the rules and covered services vary by state. You should have a Medicaid card if you receive SSI; if you do not, contact your state Medicaid office or your local Social Security office.

The difference matters: Medicaid is your health coverage while you are on SSI and under 65. Medicare becomes your coverage once you turn 65. Some people have both Medicaid and Medicare at the same time — this is called being dual may be able to access — and it usually happens when someone over 65 has low income and qualifies for both programs.

SSI income and resource limits when you have Medicare

SSI has strict limits on how much money you can have and still receive payments. The resource limit is $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple (these amounts do not change yearly, unlike income limits). Resources include cash, bank accounts, stocks, and property — but not your home or one vehicle. Medicare coverage does not count as a resource.

Your home and one car are excluded from the resource count, which means you can own them and still receive SSI. Medical equipment and supplies related to your disability are also excluded. However, if you have savings or investments above the limit, you will lose SSI until your resources drop below the threshold.

If you receive both SSDI and SSI, your SSDI payment counts as income but does not count as a resource. This means the money itself does not disqualify you based on the resource limit, but the income it generates does reduce your SSI payment. Understanding this distinction is important when planning how to manage money if you have both programs.

How to report Medicare coverage to Social Security

If you become covered by Medicare through your own work record or a family member's record, you should report it to Social Security. You do not have to do this immediately, but it is important for your SSI case file to be accurate. You can report it by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, visiting your local Social Security office, or reporting it online through your my Social Security account.

When you report Medicare coverage, Social Security will update your file and ensure your SSI payment is calculated correctly. If you have SSDI and become automatically enrolled in Medicare after 24 months, Social Security will handle this automatically — you will receive your Medicare card without having to report anything.

Keep your Medicare card and any documentation of your coverage. If you later need to prove you have Medicare — for example, when seeing a doctor or filling a prescription — you will need to show your card or provide your Medicare number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose SSI when I turn 65 and get Medicare?

No. You keep receiving SSI if you still meet the income and resource limits. At 65, you become enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B automatically, but this does not affect your SSI. Many people receive both SSI and Medicare after age 65. Your SSI payment amount may change if your other income changes, but turning 65 itself does not end SSI.

What if I have Medicare but still need help paying for doctor visits and prescriptions?

Medicare has copayments and deductibles, so you may still have out-of-pocket costs. If you receive SSI and have low income, you may also be enrolled in Medicaid, which can help cover these costs. You can also look into Medicare Savings Programs, which are state-run programs that help pay Medicare premiums and cost-sharing for people with limited income. Contact your state Medicaid office to learn if you may have access to.

Can I get Medicare if I receive SSI but have never worked?

Not until age 65. If you have not worked enough to earn Medicare on your own record and do not may have access to through a family member, you will not have Medicare until you turn 65. Until then, you should have Medicaid through your state. At 65, Medicare Part A and Part B are automatically provided to you, regardless of work history or income.

If I receive SSDI and then become poor enough for SSI, do I keep my Medicare?

Yes. Once you are enrolled in Medicare through SSDI, you keep it for life, even if your SSDI payment stops or you later receive SSI. Medicare does not end if your circumstances change. You will continue to receive Medicare Part A and Part B as long as you remain alive and do not voluntarily cancel it.

Does my Medicare premium come out of my SSI payment?

If you receive SSDI, your Medicare Part B premium is usually deducted from your SSDI payment before you receive it. If you receive only SSI and have Medicare, the premium is typically deducted from your SSI payment. However, if your SSI payment is very small, Social Security may pay the premium directly to Medicare instead. You can ask Social Security how your premium is being handled.