Some people with kidney failure, known as End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), continue to work and are also eligible for Medicare coverage.

Others are covered by the employer plan even after they are unable to work. If you have ESRD and are covered by an employer group health plan, and you have Medicare, the employer plan is required to pay first for 30 months following the effective date of your Medicare benefits. This is true regardless of the size of the group and regardless of whether the person with ESRD is working or not.