A: People who qualify for Medicare based on disability typically wait 29 months for Medicare coverage to begin. There’s a five month waiting period for your first SSDI payment and then you must wait an additional 24 months before your Medicare becomes effective.

You can access Medicare sooner if you have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or Lou Gehrig’s disease. ESRD patients can access their Medicare benefits three months after the month their dialysis begins while those with Lou Gehrig’s disease receive their Medicare benefits the same time they receive their disability benefits.