You may qualify for Medicare if you or your spouse worked for at least 10 years in Medicare-covered employment and you are 65 years old and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

If you are under 65, you may still be eligible if you have a disability or End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant).

Eligibility for Part A Without Premiums at Age 65

You can receive Medicare Part A without paying premiums if:

• You already receive retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board.

• You are eligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits but haven’t yet filed.

• You or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment.

Eligibility for Part A Without Premiums Under Age 65

You may qualify if:

• You have received Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for 24 months.

• You are a kidney dialysis or transplant patient.

While Part A may be free if you meet the above criteria, Part B requires a premium. Payments are deducted from Social Security, Railroad Retirement, or Civil Service Retirement benefits. If you don’t receive these payments, Medicare bills you for your Part B premium every three months.