On her good days, Metta Johnson can sit by a friend's pool and enjoy the sun. On her bad days, the 61-year-old Dallas woman with severe arthritis can do little more than lie in bed, writhing from the pain.

But whatever each morning brings her, Johnson at least knows she's one day closer to receiving Medicare and the health care she hopes will improve her life.

Besides covering 38 million Americans 65 and older, Medicare helps pay for the health care of more than 7 million younger Americans who suffer from significant disabilities.

Under current law, however, those with disabilities aren't eligible for Medicare until two years after they begin receiving Social Security disability insurance checks. Johnson is one of 1.8 million disabled Americans in that two-year waiting period.


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