Sections 226, 226A, 1818 and 1818A of the Social Security Act and section 103 of Public Law 89-97 establish the conditions for entitlement to hospital insurance benefits. Sections 202 (t) and (u) of the Act specify limitations that apply to certain aliens and to persons convicted of certain offenses.

Subparts A through D of this part specify the conditions of eligibility for hospital insurance and set forth certain specific conditions that affect entitlement to benefits. Hospital insurance is authorized under Part A of title XVIII and is also referred to as Medicare Part A. It includes inpatient hospital care, posthospital SNF care, home health services, and hospice care.

First month of eligibility means the first month in which an individual meets all the requirements for entitlement to hospital insurance except application or enrollment if that is required.

First month of entitlement means the first month for which the individual meets all the requirements for entitlement to Part A benefits.

Insured individual means an individual who has the number of quarters of coverage required for monthly social security benefits.

Quarter of coverage means a calendar quarter that is counted toward the number of covered quarters required to make the individual eligible for monthly social security benefits. A quarter is counted if during that quarter (or that calendar year) the individual earned a required minimum amount of money. (For details, see 20 CFR part 404, subpart B.)

(a) Hospital insurance without premiums. Hospital insurance is available to most individuals without payment of a premium if they:

(1) Are age 65 or over, or

(2) Have received social security or railroad retirement disability benefits for 25 months; or

(3) Have end-stage renal disease. Subpart B of this part explains the requirements such individuals must meet to obtain hospital insurance without premiums.

(b) Premium hospital insurance. Many individuals who are age 65 or over, but do not meet the requirements set forth in subpart B of this part, and certain individuals under age 65, may obtain the benefits by paying a premium. Section 406.20 of this part explains the requirements individuals must meet to obtain premium hospital insurance.

(a) Basic provision. In most cases, eligibility for Medicare Part A is a result of entitlement to monthly social security or railroad retirement cash benefits or eligibility for monthly social security cash benefits. This section specifies the individuals who need not file an application to become entitled to hospital insurance, those who must file an application, and those who must enroll.

(b) Individuals who need not file an application for hospital insurance. An individual who meets any of the following conditions need not file an application for hospital insurance:

(1) Is under age 65 and has been entitled, for more than 24 months, to monthly social security or railroad retirement benefits based on disability.

(2) At the time of attainment of age 65, is entitled to monthly social security or railroad retirement benefits.

(3) Establishes entitlement to monthly social security or railroad retirement benefits at any time after attaining age 65.

(c) Individuals who must file an application for hospital insurance. An individual must file an application for hospital insurance if he or she seeks entitlement to hospital insurance on the basis of—

(1) The transitional provisions set forth in § 406.11;

(2) Deemed entitlement to disabled widow's or widower's benefit under certain circumstances as provided in § 406.12;

(3) A diagnosis of end-stage renal disease, as specified in § 406.13;

(4) Effective January 1, 1981, eligibility for social security cash benefits, as specified in § 406.10(a)(3), if the individual has attained age 65 without applying for those benefits; or

(5) The special provisions applicable to government employment as set forth in § 406.15.

(d) When application is deemed to be filed. (1) An application based on the transitional provisions or on ESRD is deemed to be filed in the first month of eligibility if it is filed not more than 3 months before the first month, and is retroactive to that month if filed within 12 months after the first month. An application filed more than 12 months after the first month of eligibility is retroactive to the 12th month before the month it is filed.

(2) An application for deemed entitlement to disabled widow's or widower's benefits, that is filed before the first month in which the individual meets all conditions of entitlement for this benefit, will be deemed a valid application if those conditions are met before an initial determination, reconsideration, or hearing decision is made on the application. If the conditions are met after the date of any hearing decision, a new application will have to be filed. An application validly filed within 12 months after the first month of eligibility is retroactive to that first month. If filed more than 12 months after that first month, it is retroactive to the 12th month before the month of filing.

(3) Effective June 8, 1980, an application based on eligibility for social security benefits at or after age 65, that is filed before the first month in which the individual meets all eligibility conditions for this benefit, will be deemed a valid application if those conditions are met before an initial determination, reconsideration, or hearing decision is made on the application. If the conditions are met after the date of any hearing decision, a new application will have to be filed.

(4) Effective March 1, 1981, an application under § 406.10 that is validly filed within 6 months after the first month of eligibility is retroactive to that first month. If filed more than 6 months after that first month, it is retroactive to the 6th month before the month of filing.

(e) Individuals who must enroll for hospital insurance. An individual who must pay a monthly premium for hospital insurance must enroll in accordance with the procedures set forth in § 406.21.

Forms used to apply for Medicare entitlement are available free of charge by mail from CMS or at any Social Security branch or district office or online at the CMS and SSA websites. An individual who files an application for monthly social security cash benefits as defined in § 400.200 of this chapter also applies for Medicare entitlement if he or she is eligible for hospital insurance at that time.