Employers don't want a disabled person on their health plan because it pushes up their rates. After being disabled for 2 years, a person is offered Medicare and the information states that, if he doesn't take it then, he won't have another opportunity until age 65. Once a person signs on, Medicare becomes primary coverage and private insurance drops an individual even as a secondary insurer. The only secondary coverage available is a medigap policy. For people under 65 who are disabled, there are very few medigap insurance products available nationwide.
None provide prescription coverage.
So for the people who need coverage the most, there is the least available. As a divorced women, I have firsthand experience of the dilemma of choosing between Medicare or health coverage provided through my ex-husband as part of the divorce agreement. His plan provided excellent benefits and included prescription coverage but I chose to take Medicare because I simply couldn't afford to risk the loss of health benefits if something happened to his job. In choosing Medicare, I was forced to absorb the expense of prescription drugs. In order to be self supporting and get off of SSDI, a person has to be able to work on a regular basis a substantial amount of time for good wages.