How do I qualify for Medicare?

You are eligible to enroll in Medicare at age 65 if:

• You are a citizen of the United States or a permanent legal resident.
• You or your spouse have worked and paid Medicare payroll taxes for 10 years (40 quarters), as long as it takes to qualify for Social Security.
• You or your spouse is a government employee or retiree who paid Medicare taxes while working. 

Note: To qualify on a spouse's record, he or she must be at least 62 years old and worked at least 40 credits.  

Those under 65 can qualify for Medicare if they:

• Have received disability benefits for 24 or more months
• Have permanent kidney failure, also known as end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and need dialysis or a kidney transplant, or
• Have Lou Gehrig’s disease and receive disability benefits. 

Once qualified for Part A, a beneficiary can purchase Part B, medical insurance, a Medicare Advantage or prescription drug plan, and/or a Medigap policy.