Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 3/5
A 67-year-old beneficiary who did not qualify for premium-free Medicare Part A has 34 quarters of Medicare-covered work. What does she pay for Part A?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
Medicare Part A is premium-free for workers who have 40 quarters (about 10 years) of Medicare-covered employment. Beneficiaries with 30-39 quarters pay a reduced monthly premium for Part A, while those with fewer than 30 quarters pay a higher premium. A 34-credit beneficiary falls in the 30-39 band, so she pays the reduced premium. Part A premiums are set by work credits, not by income; income-based adjustments apply to Part B, not Part A. This two-tier credit rule is a favorite number question under AH-III.D.1b.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) The higher premium applies only to beneficiaries with 0-29 credits; 34 credits falls in the 30-39 reduced-premium band.
- C) Turning 65 alone does not create premium-free Part A; the beneficiary must have 40 quarters of covered work.
- D) Part A premiums depend on work credits; income-based premium adjustment is a Part B (IRMAA) feature, not a Part A one.
Memory hook
40 credits = free. 30-39 = reduced. 0-29 = full. Count credits, not years of age.