Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 1/5
Which statement about Medicare Part A coverage for individuals who have not earned 40 quarters of Medicare-covered work is correct?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why B is correct
Part A is premium-free for individuals who have worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 40 quarters (about 10 years). People who have not reached 40 quarters can still buy Part A: those with 30-39 quarters pay a reduced monthly premium, and those with fewer than 30 quarters pay a higher monthly premium. Part A is a federal program administered by Medicare, not sold through private insurers, and these premium tiers are the exception to the general rule of premium-free Part A.
Why the other options are wrong
- A) Premium-free Part A requires at least 40 quarters of covered work; workers with fewer quarters must pay a monthly premium.
- C) Individuals with fewer than 40 quarters remain eligible to enroll in Part A by paying a monthly premium in one of the two tiers.
- D) Part A is a government-administered federal program; private insurers administer Medicare Advantage and Medigap, not Part A itself.
Memory hook
40 quarters = free Part A. 30-39 quarters = reduced premium. Under 30 = higher premium.