Medicare and Medicaid eligibility depend on which disability program approves you. SSDI recipients automatically qualify for Medicare after receiving disability benefits for 24 months. This two-year wait frustrates disabled workers without other health coverage. Medicare provides Part A (hospital), Part B (medical), and optional Part D (prescription drug) coverage. SSI recipients in South Carolina generally qualify for Medicaid immediately upon approval. Some people receive both Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible). If you’re working part-time under work incentive programs, Medicaid continuation rules may allow you to keep coverage even with earnings above normal limits. These rules prove complex. We help clients understand how approval affects health coverage and connect them with resources for the Medicare waiting period.