Eligibility/Medicare Part A

You are eligible for premium-free (no cost) Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) if:

• You are 65 or older and you are receiving, or are eligible for, retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retrirement Board, or
• You are under 65 and you have received Railroad Retirement disability benefits for the prescribed time and you meet the Social Security Act disability requirements, or
• You or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment, or
• You are under 65 and have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

If you are not eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A, you can buy Part A by paying a monthly premium if:

• You are age 65 or older, and
• You are enrolled in Part B, and
• You are a resident of the United States, and are either a citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence who has lived in the United States continuously during the 5 years immediately before the month in which you apply.

Source: Medicare.gov

Last reviewed October 2024