Medicare Coverage for Green Card Holders and Immigrants | SelectQuote (2024)

FAQs

Can immigrants with green cards get Medicare? ›

You must be a lawful permanent resident of the United States for at least five continuous years. This means holding a green card for at least five years before applying for Medicare benefits.

To get Medicaid and CHIP coverage, many qualified non-citizens (such as many Lawful Permanent Residents, also known as LPRs or green card holders) have a 5-year waiting period. This means they must wait 5 years after getting "qualified" immigration status before they can get Medicaid and CHIP coverage.

As a result of the ACA, policies in the individual market are available on a guaranteed-issue basis, regardless of age. And if the plan is purchased in the exchange, subsidies are available based on income, just as they are for younger enrollees.

Green card holders above 65 can qualify for Medicare if they meet the eligibility criteria for the program. If they do not meet the eligibility criteria for Medicare, they can purchase domestic plans from healthcare.gov.

Generally speaking, anyone under 65 will likely not have access to Medicare. Other people who may fall short of Medicare eligibility criteria include: Undocumented immigrants. People with disabilities who have received SSDI benefits for under two years.

Specifically, you will qualify for Medicare even if you are not a U.S. citizen if you qualify to receive or currently receive Social Security retirement benefits, Railroad Retirement Benefits (RRB), or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). In any of these cases, you will qualify for premium-free Part A.

To be eligible for any Medicare benefits, these individuals must 1) be lawful permanent residents (LPR, holding a green card) and 2) have five years of continuous residence in the United States immediately prior to Medicare enrollment.

Can a Green Card Holder Apply for Social Security Benefits? Like anyone, you must have 40 qualifying credits (over approximately 10 years) to earn Social Security benefits. 1 Green card holders who pay into the system may qualify for their benefits.

Be age 65 or older; Be a U.S. resident; AND. Be either a U.S. citizen, OR. Be an alien who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence and has been residing in the United States for 5 continuous years prior to the month of filing an application for Medicare.

How much does it cost to become a U.S. citizen with a green card? ›

You are eligible for Medicare if you are a citizen of the United States or have been a legal resident for at least 5 years and: You are age 65 or older and you or your spouse has worked for at least 10 years (or 40 quarters) in Medicare-covered employment.

Green card holders cannot vote and cannot serve on a jury. They can sponsor their spouses or their children, but that is it. They can travel into the United States for as long as they want, but they can have their status revoked if they commit a crime or they stay outside of the United States for too long.

However, green card holders cannot do everything that U.S. citizens can. They cannot vote in U.S. elections. If they try to, it could be considered a false claim to U.S. citizenship, and get them deported.

You are eligible to receive federal benefits such as social security or education assistance. Permanent residents may apply for government-sponsored financial aid for education. Additionally, green card holders are entitled to in-state or resident tuition rates at certain colleges and universities.

If you are a U.S. green card holder (“permanent resident”) who finds yourself in need, you might consider applying for public benefits (government financial or other assistance, often called "welfare" or "food stamps").

Notice: Undocumented immigrants can't get Marketplace health coverage. They may apply for coverage on behalf of documented individuals.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Medicaid (includes labor and delivery)