Question: Ms. Chee is 52 years old and recently had a lung transplant. Is she eligible for Medicare? She is most likely eligible for Medicaid but not for Medicare. Most likely, yes. Lung transplant patients qualify for Medicare earlier than many other Americans. No, but if she has paid into the Social Security system for at least a decade, she will be eligible when she turns 65. It depends on which part of the country she lives in.