something a lot of people don't know about SSDI benefits in the United States is that it is literally just Social Security, but you get it earlier instead of at retirement. this is good for people who were able to work at some point, because those "quarters" you worked before becoming disabled (or just succumbing to what's been wrong all alone) all add up to determine what your disability payments look like. the intent is to cover people who suffered injury or other damage, and because it's Social Security it's more difficult to lose than SSI (which is a different program altogether). SSDI is, unfortunately, not available to people who were never able to work due to disability, and I feel like this is deliberate on the part of the the system because etc etc you all know how this works under capitalism by now
I bring this up because one of the perks you get from qualifying for SSDI is that you have access to Medicare, regardless of how old you are. and Medicare, for all its flaws, is superior to private health insurance for reasons I again don't have to go into
except, there's a thing called Medicare Advantage. this is a privatization program where you are essentially getting the same level of care you would from a private health insurance plan, except the feds pay for the private plan (or most of it, for some plans that do have extra premiums) instead of your regular Medicare. and it is, not surprisingly, an absolute scam on every level (see link above)
Medicare Part D (for "drugs") is the drug insurance program, and it's always a private company, as Medicare proper doesn't cover medications. my plan is absolutely awful and I'm at a point now where I'm just using one of those discount cards until I can change to a different plan next year (assuming I'm still on it). Medicare Advantage plans sell people on the fact that they will have the same system for both their regular medical care and for drugs, and they often add other things like vision, dental, etc which are not yet covered by regular Medicare
but Medicare Advantage, like all private health insurance, exists to not pay your bills. as a for-profit enterprise they make more money when they deny you benefits. it's exactly the same as the terrible private coverage you get from your employer, except they can scam the feds out of even more money at the same time they fail to cover your doctor visits (again, see above)
if you or someone you know ever ends up on Medicare, through SSDI or through just aging into the program, do not pick a Medicare Advantage plan. they look good on paper, but you will be buying back into the same private health care bullshit you've dealt with your entire life
there is no way to fix for-profit health insurance, because it is broken by design
