Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

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canadiandeserter
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Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by canadiandeserter »

If one earns 40 Social Security credits by US employment and expatriates from the US years before retirement age, he/she qualifies for Social Security without having to rely on a totalization agreement. Does he/she also qualify for premium-free Medicare Part A at 65 as a non-resident?

If so, is Medicare Part A enrolment automatic if he/she applies for Social Security benefits from outside the US?

Medicare web sites seem to use the term "quarter" while Social Security web sites use the term "credit". Are they defined the same way (~$5880 earned any time in a calendar year yields 4 "credits" vs ~$1470 earned in a calendar quarter yields 1 "quarter")?
nelsona
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Re: Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by nelsona »

Yes, to all your questions, credits/quarters are the same. You can earn your 4 credits in a month if your earning is sufficient.
nelsona non grata. Non pro. Please Search previous posts, no situation is unique as you might think. Happy Browsing :D
canadiandeserter
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Re: Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by canadiandeserter »

Thanks nelsona! Looks like it may be worth sticking around in the US for a bit longer. :)
nelsona
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Re: Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by nelsona »

Yes, it is always a decision one has to make at the 8 year mark or so. AS I said, you can get quarters within a month of working, so you could be in US for as little as 8 yrs and 2 months, and qualify for Free Medicare Part A. You already qualify for SS after about 13 month (by applying the totalization agreement (TA)). The TA can't be used to gain Medicare.

The problem with Medicare is Part B, which is not free. You need to decide if you want to pay for part B when you become eligible for Part A, or pay a penalty if you take it later. If you are living in Canada, that decision is not always easy.
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nelsona
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Re: Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by nelsona »

Part B pays for doctors visits.
nelsona non grata. Non pro. Please Search previous posts, no situation is unique as you might think. Happy Browsing :D
canadiandeserter
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Re: Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by canadiandeserter »

Thanks nelsona for the advice. Your 8 year 2 month scenario is exactly what I am considering. Plus not having to rely on a totalization agreement for Social Security might save some headaches at retirement.

My view on having Medicare Part A is not having to worry about emergency medical insurance when travelling to the US, assuming one has access to universal healthcare outside of the US for non-emergencies.
nelsona
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Re: Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by nelsona »

I'm pretty sure that not all of your costs in an emergency would be covered by Medicare Part A.
nelsona non grata. Non pro. Please Search previous posts, no situation is unique as you might think. Happy Browsing :D
canadiandeserter
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Re: Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by canadiandeserter »

Are Social Security and Medicare credits accrued based on time employed or time paid?

Since most US employers run payroll in arrears, the first paycheque of the year would include pay from the previous year. For example, a paycheque issued on 2022-01-01 may be for work from 2021-12-01 through 2021-12-31. If that 2022 paycheque meets the Social Security earning threshold, is it possible to not be employed in 2022 but still earn the full 4 credits for 2022?
nelsona
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Re: Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by nelsona »

It is by payment. In your example, you would earn credits in the next year, and the income would also be for the next year as well.
nelsona non grata. Non pro. Please Search previous posts, no situation is unique as you might think. Happy Browsing :D
nelsona
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Re: Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by nelsona »

To be sure take a look at your first paycheque from this year, and look at the Y-T-D numbers.
nelsona non grata. Non pro. Please Search previous posts, no situation is unique as you might think. Happy Browsing :D
canadiandeserter
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Re: Premium-Free Medicare Part A for Non-Resident

Post by canadiandeserter »

Thanks nelsona for all your help!
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