Typically you must be 65 to qualify for Medicare and can sign up 3 months before your 65th birthday. There are also a few limited circumstances where you may be eligible for Medicare, regardless of your age if:

• You are entitled to Social Security disability benefits for 24 months
• You receive a disability pension from the Railroad Retirement Board (and meet certain conditions)
• You have end stage renal disease
• You have Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)

Eligibility for Medicaid is based on income and family size. These limits differ somewhat from state to state. To determine if you are eligible for Medicaid we recommend you use our Coverage Calculator.

No. If you are eligible for Medicaid you don't need to buy a marketplace plan and, therefore, would not need a subsidy. Marketplace plans are more expensive than Medicaid and typically do not provide any additional coverage or benefits.

Yes. If your income and household size qualify you for a subsidy you may elect coverage via the marketplace rather in lieu of your employer's retiree plan. The choice is yours. Before you choose a plan there are some things to consider:

• If you can't afford the health insurance offered to you through your employer or in a marketplace, you may qualify for Medicaid, or your children may qualify for the Children's Health Insurance Program. Each state has its own eligibility requirements for these programs.
• Think about the insurance coverage. What does your insurance "buy" you? That is, how much will you pay out of your own pocket when you use medical services?
  • How often do you expect to use your insurance? Do you see the doctor fairly often and take one or more prescription drugs for an ongoing condition, like high blood pressure or diabetes? Or do you only see the doctor once or twice a year for checkups and the occasional illness?
• Think about the network. If you have a doctor, it is important that you continue to see him or her? You'll pay less for care you get from in-network providers. So if you want to keep your doctor and pay lower, in-network rates, make sure that he or she is in your plan's network. If you need to find a doctor, does the plan's network have a wide selection of nearby doctors for you to choose from?

No. The new healthcare rules under the Affordable Care Act require only that employers provide health insurance for active employees that work, on average, more than 30 hours per week. The law does not address retiree insurance offerings.

While health insurance is no longer required at the federal level, there is a possibility that you will face a tax penalty for not having adequate coverage if you live in a state that has an individual mandate.

Right now, there are five states and one district where health insurance is required. You may be subject to a tax penalty if you live in one of the following areas and do not have medical insurance coverage:

• Massachusetts
• New Jersey
• Vermont
• California
• Rhode Island
• District of Columbia (Washington D.C.)

There are a few options that you should investigate:

• It is possible that your income and household size make you eligible for Medicaid.
• If your spouse is still working you should investigate whether you may be eligible to participate in an insurance plan offered through your spouse's employer.
• You may qualify for a government subsidy to help reduce your insurance costs.