Mr. and Mrs. Bergeron recently emigrated to the United States from Canada. Both are 68 years old. They want to set up doctor appointments. Are they eligible for Medicare?

Question

(1 point)
Responses

Not unless they worked in the United States for at least a decade and paid into the Social Security system for that time.
Not unless they worked in the United States for at least a decade and paid into the Social Security system for that time.

No. A person has to be at least 70 years old to qualify for Medicare.
No. A person has to be at least 70 years old to qualify for Medicare.

Yes. Anyone living in the United States who is older than 65 is eligible for Medicare.
Yes. Anyone living in the United States who is older than 65 is eligible for Medicare.

They are most likely eligible for Medicaid but not for Medicare.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

Not unless they worked in the United States for at least a decade and paid into the Social Security system for that time.

Medicare eligibility typically requires that individuals have worked and paid into the Social Security system for at least 10 years (40 quarters). Simply being over 65 is not enough if they did not work in the U.S. and contribute to Social Security.