How Does Colorado Medicare Eligibility Affect Your Spouse?

Applying for Medicare benefits can be a tricky proposition, particularly if you are married to someone who is not yet eligible.  In Colorado, Medicare eligibilityis not always as simple as it sounds, and many recipients of this benefit are left confused and bewildered.  When one considers that a person only becomes eligible for Medicare when they turn 65 or start receiving Social Security benefits, how does this impact a divorced or recently widowed spouse? 

One of the best places to find out about Colorado Medicare eligibility is through your local health insurance broker, but many questions can be answered simply by visiting the Medicare.gov website.  In their recently redesigned web portal, the agency provides a handy Medicare Eligibility Tool, which consists of a questionnaire to help you determine your status.  The Social Security Office can also be helpful in providing information. 

Whether you are still married, divorced or widowed, your Colorado Medicare Eligibility will depend on a few specifics.

• Married couples are the easiest to figure out.  Even if you haven’t met the federal stipulation of being employed in a Medicare-eligible job for ten years, you can still take advantage of the Medicare benefit, provided that you and your Medicare-eligible spouse have been married for at least one year.  However, you will still need to visit your nearest Social Security office to confirm eligibility.
• Divorce makes Colorado Medicare eligibilitya bit more complicated.  In order to become eligible for Medicare, you and your eligible ex-spouse must have been married for at least ten years, plus you must have either remained unmarried or married again after the age of 60 in order to retain eligibility from a former spouse.  Additionally, the former spouse who is seeking benefits must be eligible to receive less than one half of the Social Security benefits than his or her former spouse. 
• Widows and widowers may see a change in their Medicare eligibility too.  In order to get spousal Medicare benefits after the death of a spouse, one must have been married for at least nine months and remain single.  This changes when a spouse’s death occurs after the divorce, and more closely resembles the eligibility of divorced couples.

If you are confused about Colorado Medicare eligibility, visit the Medicare.gov website or ask a Colorado Springs health insurance broker. Michael Horvat is a health insurance expert and broker with HealthQuotes.com in Colorado Springs, CO.  If you are searching for Colorado health insurance plans or quotes, please give Michael a call anytime at 800-345-0789.