We could say that Medicare is a big umbrella, so to speak, as it covers a wide range of subcategories of health care. Perhaps the main requirement to enjoy the benefits supplied by this insurance system is to have worked for a given period.
There is an exception to this rule, though – you might still be able to qualify for Medicare insurance, due to your spouse’s working history.
The Essentials
While it’s true that you can get Medicare insurance based on your spouse’s working background, there are some specifications to keep in mind. For one thing, granted that you developed a disability before the age of 65 years old, then you cannot qualify for Medicare.
Concurrently, since Medicare has different plans, you could qualify for some, but not all. Specifically, based on your spouse’s work, you might not qualify for plan A. But you can consider paying a premium in this attempt.
What if you divorced your spouse or your spouse is deceased – what conditions apply in these scenarios? You may still qualify for Medicare insurance under some circumstances.
For one thing, the timeframe you have worked is only relevant in the case of the benefits provided by Medicare plan A – which are the hospitalization benefits.
So, for Medicare Plan A, you are required to have earned roughly 40 credits by covering the Medicare and Social Security payroll taxes. 40 credits equal 10 years of work plus paying taxes.
As we’re discussing the scenario in which you don’t have any work history, then your spouse must meet these requirements. Also, you should be at least 65 years old, and your spouse should be at least 62 years old.
What About Disability Eligibility?
There is another scenario in which you can still get Medicare insurance in spite of the fact that you haven’t work. There is a range of disabilities that may allow you to qualify for getting Medicare Plan A insurance, such as the following: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, permanent kidney failure or any other type of disability, as established by the Social Security disability program.
Additionally, if one of your parents has worked a government job and has paid Medicare taxes, you could still be eligible for getting Medicare insurance.
Social Security and Medicare
Moving on, in order to get Medicare insurance, you aren’t absolutely required to be qualified to get Social Security benefits, in spite of the fact that your eligibility is determined according to another person’s working history.
As an example, you could be eligible for Medicare granted that your spouse has had federal employment – thus, he/she has paid Medicare taxes as opposed to having paid Social Security taxes. However, you should still factor in the Social Security disability specifications, granted that they apply in your scenario.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, you can still benefit from Medicare insurance even if you don’t have a working history in the United States. Leaving that aside, make sure you factor in the other eligibility criteria, to ensure where you stand.