4Who Are Eligible for Medicare at Age 65?
Retirees
It is still possible to enroll into Medicare even when you paid into the retirement system that did not withhold Medicare premiums or Social Security. This can be done either through your spouse or retirement system. To be eligible for full Medicare coverage at the age of 65, you need to earn enough credits for Social Security. Every $1,470 that you earn per year is equivalent to one credit. However, you can only get 4 credits maximum per year. You would get benefits for Social Security at retirement after earning 40 credits in 10 years. [4]
Spouses
Can you receive benefits for Medicare if you are a stay-at-home spouse or parent without work record? The answer is yes. It is possible based on the work record of your wife or husband. If your spouse has received 40 credits and been married to you for at least 1 year, you can be eligible for Medicare. Individuals in same-sex marriages have the same rights as other married couples.
If you are divorced and not eligible for Medicare benefits under your work record, you would qualify thanks to the work record of your ex-spouse as long as you are single at the moment and your previous marriage lasted at least 10 years. [5]












