Problem: Mr. Calderon is 48 years old and recently began kidney dialysis. Is he eligible for Medicare? He is most likely eligible for Medicaid but not for Medicare. Most likely, yes. Kidney dialysis patients qualify for Medicare earlier than many other Americans. Probably not, but if he has paid into the Social Security system for at least a decade, he will be eligible when he turns 65. It depends on which part of the country he lives in.