Can Same-Sex Couples access Premium-Free Part A?
People without adequate work experience to qualify on their own can now access premium-free Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) [1]. However, they must work for at least 10 years (40 quarters) to access premium-free Part A. If you are married, you can use your partner’s work history to become eligible under specific conditions. If you are 65 years or older and your partner has the right amount of work experience, you can access Part A without paying a premium through their work history. However, it must be under these conditions:
- You must still be married to that partner, and your partner must qualify for Social Security disability or retirement benefit. Also, you must be married to that spouse for a minimum of 12 months.
- If you are divorced, your ex-partner must qualify for Social Security disability or retirement benefit. However, the marriage must have lasted for a minimum of 12 months.
- If your partner dies, you can access premium-free Part A if the marriage lasts for 9 months. You will lose access to the benefits if you remarry.
You can also access premium-free Medicare Part A through your partner’s work history if:
- Your partner has worked for at least 10 years
- You are younger than 65 years old.
- You have an end-stage renal disease (ESRD) [2], you’re getting dialysis [3], or you have had or will have a kidney transplant. [4].