A lawful permanent resident of the United States who is 65 years old but has lived in the country for only 2 years is:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
Medicare eligibility for lawful permanent residents requires both a qualifying immigration status and continuous residence in the United States for at least 5 years before enrollment. A person who has been a lawful permanent resident for only 2 years has not yet satisfied the residence requirement and therefore cannot enroll in Medicare, regardless of having reached age 65. The 5-year continuous residence rule is the controlling eligibility standard for this group, making A the correct statement. Once the permanent resident meets both the age and residence requirements, Medicare coverage can begin with Part A and Part B at the appropriate enrollment windows.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) Turning 65 alone is insufficient for lawful permanent residents; the 5-year continuous U.S. residence requirement must also be satisfied before Medicare eligibility begins. Both age 65 and the 5-year residence requirement must be satisfied before eligibility begins.
- C) The rule turns on continuous residence as a lawful permanent resident, not on when the person became a citizen; the timing of citizenship is irrelevant to this requirement. The controlling factor is continuous residence as a permanent resident, not the timing of citizenship.
- D) The 5-year residence rule gates all Medicare enrollment, including Part D; a person who has not met the residence requirement cannot enroll in Part D alone either. The residence rule gates every Medicare part, including Part D, so partial enrollment is not permitted.
Memory hook
Green card + 5 years in the country = Medicare key. Two years in, the door is still locked.