No, you can apply for Social Security Disability insurance (SSDI) and within two years, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare after 24 months. If you have ALS or end-stage renal disease, you don’t have to wait the full two years and can receive coverage after a few months. There’s another exception to the two-year rule if you don’t qualify for SSDI, in which case you can apply for Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) and qualify for Medicaid.