e 65 or older can get Medicare hospital insurance based on their own or their spouse's employment. One is eligible at 65 if you either receive Social Security or railroad retirement benefits. If they are not involved with either of these, but you have worked long enough to have them they may receive them. People are also eligible if you would be entitled to Social Security benefits based on their spouse's or divorced spouse's work record.
             Before age 65, persons eligible for Medicare hospital insurance are if they have been a Social Security disability beneficiary for 24 months. Also eligible if they have worked long enough in a federal, state, or local government job and you meet the requirements of the Social Security disability program. Under certain conditions, spouses, divorced spouses, widows, widowers, or a dependent parents may be eligible for hospital insurance when he or she turns 65, based on work records. Also, disabled widows and widowers under age 65, disabled divorced widows and widowers under 65, and disabled children may be eligible for Medicare, usually after a 24-month qualifying period.
             Kidney failure patients have special rules too. Under these rules, sufferers are eligible for hospital insurance at any age if they receive maintenance dialysis or a kidney transplant and are insured, or are getting monthly benefits under Social Security or the railroad retirement system. Also, if they have worked long enough in government to be insured for Medicare. In addition, spouses or children may be eligible if she or he receives continuing dialysis for permanent kidney failure or had a kidney transplant, even if no one else in the family is getting Medicare.
             Table 2 - Medicare Enrollment/Demographics
             65 – 74 years 18,104 8,079 10,025
             75 – 84 years 11,255 4,342 6,913
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