Social Security
The ultimate source of information regarding Social Security is www.ssa.gov, the official Social Security website.
We are fortunate to have supplementary articles authored by a Public Affairs Specialist in the Social Security Western Washington office:
![Crowded Hospital Garden](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_74a8d7795d9b4381a7d07a13cdda86f8~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_122,h_82,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/11062b_74a8d7795d9b4381a7d07a13cdda86f8~mv2.jpg)
![Checking Blood Pressure](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_dce734b3074d448c8f6e7e85d63c7a02~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_123,h_82,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/11062b_dce734b3074d448c8f6e7e85d63c7a02~mv2.jpg)
Medicare
Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older. You may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease).
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Some people get Medicare automatically, others have to actively sign up -- it depends if you start getting retirement or disability benefits from Social Security before you turn 65.
The different parts of Medicare help cover specific services:
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Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)
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Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)
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Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage)
Medicare.gov is the official website managed by the federal government. Among the useful resources you will find there is Medicare's Costs at a Glance.
Use this information to help you compare your coverage options and decide what coverage is right for you.