Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 2/5
A lawful permanent resident age 65 who has not earned 40 quarters of Medicare-covered work wants premium-free Part A through the 65-plus eligibility rule. Besides age, what residence requirement must be met?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
Medicare eligibility at age 65 extends to U.S. citizens and to lawful permanent residents who have lived continuously in the United States for at least five years. This five-year residency requirement is designed to ensure that newcomers have contributed to and been part of the Medicare system's beneficiary population before receiving benefits. A lawful permanent resident under age 65 or with less than five years of residency does not qualify under this rule.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) One year is far short of the five-year continuous residency requirement for legal residents.
- C) Medicare is a federal program; state residency is not the controlling requirement.
- D) A residency requirement does exist for lawful permanent residents: five continuous years in the United States.
Memory hook
65 plus citizen, or legal resident in the U.S. for 5 years, unlocks Medicare. Five years is the magic residency number.