Who is the Medicare program primarily designed to assist?

The Medicare program is primarily designed to assist the elderly, typically those aged 65 and older, and individuals with certain disabilities after they have been receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for 24 months. This aligns with the program's purpose of providing health coverage to a demographic that faces increased medical needs due to age or chronic health conditions associated with disabilities.

While there are indeed other assistance programs targeted at low-income families or children, those fall outside of Medicare's specified groups. Medicare is distinct in that it provides health coverage not based on income but primarily on age and disability status, which is why the correct answer focuses on the elderly and disabled individuals who meet the necessary criteria for enrollment in the program.