It may be 2 years.  It's been so long since it kicked in for me.
Hmmmmmm, yep, my card is dated 2 years from SSDI.

Medicade (MediCal down here) paid 100% of my hospital,
doctor, and Rx costs until Medicare kicked in.   After that,
it paid all deductibles.   Even with SSDI and the Naval
Reserve's small pension, I am below the cut-off point.....
and Medicade/MediCal pays my Part B monthly premium.

MY GOSH!!!!   Mary just came home from work with some
literature from her client (who pays $5,000 monthly rent).

Do you qualify for a Medicare Saving Program know as "Qualified
Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), "Specified Low-income Medicare
Beneficiary" (SLMB), or "Qualifying Individual-1" (QI-1)?  The
federal government and the State of California jointly fund these
programs through state medical assistance programs.

If you are eligible for any of the QMB, SLMB, or QI-1 programs.
your could save up to $938.40 a yar in your Social Security
check.  Wunder the QMB, SLMB, or QI-1 programs, the state will
pay for your monthly Medicare Part B premium of $78.20 per
month in 2005, which is currently deducted from your Social
Security check.

You may receive additional information about Medicare Saving
Programs by contacting a representative of the Medicare Health
Insurance Counseling and Advocary Program (HICAP) at
1-800-804-9707, who will direct you to the nearest office in your
county.        TTD/TDY   1-877-486-2048

... Shortest book on New York Times list:  America's Most Popular Lawyers.

Carole,

When you have the energy, do a bit more checking into things.

Usually for medicare, it is 2 years after you get your SSDI before you
get the medicare.   But, if you are ever hospitalized before that point,
most hospital social workers can work with you and help you get
emergency coverage through I believe medicaid.  Also, you may want to
double check with your employer, as I am on long term disability through
my employer, and have been for the last 10 years.  I still get my
medical insurance through them as well as a small check each month for
long term disability. That is on top of my SSDI and the medicare.   When
I had been off work for about 6 months, my employer called me and said I
had to file for SSDI, even if I was rejected, just so that they had the
paper work on file to show I had applied.  Well, I was lucky and got
approved the first time around and my SSDI amount was deducted from the
amount I was getting paid for my long term disability and the remaining
amount of the long term disability is now what I get paid from my
employer each month.   For me, that long term disability payment will
continue until I reach the age of 65 or until I die, whichever comes
first.

Also, check around in your community, because often times the services
that are out there for senior citizens will also often be provided to
those who are disabled, especially if you live in a HUD housing
building.   I live in a building that is 80% senior citizens and 20 %
disabled people under 60 years of age.  It is HUD housing, so my rent is
30% of my income.  The waiting lists for these types of living
accomadations range here, anywhere from 2 years on up to as much as 10
years.   I went around and put my name on all of the waiting lists at
one time and brought home applications to fill out for all of them.   I
mailed back all the applications and then waited.  I was lucky to have
only waited for 21/2 years before I got a call.  When I got the call, I
went over and looked at the apartment, liked it, updated my application
and financial information, and was called back to say I was approved,
told what my rent would be, and we set up a move in date.   In these
kind of situations, you usually have to be recertified every year as far
as your financial status and rent amount go.   But, by living where I
am, I am also entitled to services that are often just for senior
citizens.   Also, in my building they pay the water and the electricity,
I pay the phone, cable, and for laundry.   Each floor has a laundry
room, a trash room, and storage bins.   The mail boxes are located on
the first floor inside and there are elevators.   There is a bus that
takes you grocery shopping once a week if you don't drive or if you
don't feel like driving and they charge 25¢ per person for the trip.
There is also a cab service and handicap bus service that charge $2.00
each way for a trip as long as you reserve the ride the day before.
Because my income is so low, I am still entitled to $10.00 a month in
food stamps and for medicaid, but medicaid only after I spend a certain
amount each month in out of pocket medical coverage.   I never spend
that amount, so have never ever used the medicaid at all.  I still have
prescription coverage through my employer insurance, although the copays
are $25.00 to $40.00 for each prescription, so I still often run into
trouble affording all my meds per month as I am on about 12 different
meds/inhalers, etc.  

You have to do a bit of research and digging, but there are services out
there to help you out!

Also, don't be afraid to call and check on how things are progressing
with your SSDI application.   I waited about 3-4 weeks after applying
and called to see how things were coming along.   I then called them
back after an additional 4 weeks just to see how things were coming
along and to see if there was any thing else they needed.   Sometimes
those applications sit on a desk needing more information, but they sit
there and never let you know that they need more into.  

Hang in there and best of luck with all of this!!!

Donna G