The following medical conditions may qualify patients for Medicare before 65 years old, except:

• A. End stage renal disease
• B. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• C. Lou Gehrig's Disease
• D. Blood transfusions before 1995

Answer: (D)

Medicare eligibility before age 65 is tied to certain disabilities or diseases that qualify for coverage under Social Security/Medicare rules. End-stage renal disease requiring dialysis or a transplant is a recognized automatic qualifier, as is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. These conditions trigger Medicare coverage independent of the usual disability waiting period.

Blood transfusions before 1995 do not establish Medicare eligibility for a person under 65. A transfusion history by itself isn’t a qualifying condition for early Medicare coverage, so it’s the exception among the options. The other two entries refer to illnesses that Medicare treats as automatic or rapid qualifiers, while the transfusion criterion does not.