This is an old post, but to add to Medicare qualifications, it's 29 months from your SSDI disability date, not from date of receiving payments, to be eligible, so check that out on your welcome package, and can make a difference when you are eligible for Medicare. That's the same amount of time allowed for Cobra payments, if disabled, and SSDI is applied for, to get a Cobra extension from 18 months to 29 months. I believe SSDI only goes back 5 months for back pay, but they went back to my disability date for Medicare purposes. Anyway, It all worked out between my short, and long term disability, and applying for SS, and not having any lost income or wait for Medicare other than the waiting period of 29 months.