Is there a penalty for Medicare Part A or B for a 65-year-old green card holder who hasn’t met the five-year U.S. residency requirement and has no other insurance?
Answered by 15 licensed agents
Yes, a 65 year old green card holder without a 5 year residency or 10 year work history might face penalties for delaying Medicare Part A (if they have to pay for it) and definitely for Part B if they don't enroll when eligible.
No, there is no penalty for not having Medicare at age 65 if you do not yet meet the residency requirement.Medicare penalties only begin to accrue once you are eligible to enroll and choose not to. Since a green card holder is generally not eligible for Medicare until they have lived in the U.S. continuously for at least five years, the "penalty clock" does not start until that five-year mark is reached.The Rules for Your SituationEligibility Gap: As a green card holder, you must be 65 or older and have 5 years of continuous U.S. residency to qualify for Medicare.No "Pre-Eligibility" Penalty: You cannot be penalized for not having a service you aren't legally allowed to buy yet.When the Penalty Starts: Once you hit your 5th anniversary of residency, your Initial Enrollment Period begins. If you do not sign up at that time (and don't have other "creditable" coverage like a job-based plan), you will then face lifetime late-enrollment penalties for Part B and Part D.Important ExceptionsThere is one major way you might be eligible before the five-year mark:Spousal Credits: If you have been married for at least one year to a U.S. citizen or green card holder who is at least 62 and has worked in the U.S. for 10 years (40 quarters), you may be able to qualify for Medicare based on their work record. In this specific case, the five-year residency rule is waived.What should you do in the meantime?Since you are currently ineligible for Medicare, you may want to look into:The Health Insurance Marketplace: Lawfully present immigrants can purchase plans through the ACA Marketplace (Healthcare.gov) even if they haven't been here for five years. You may even qualify for subsidies depending on your income.Short-Term "New Immigrant" Insurance: Some private companies offer temporary medical insurance specifically for new green card holders waiting for Medicare eligibility.
No—there is no late-enrollment penalty for Medicare Part A or Part B until the person actually becomes eligible to enroll.
A 65-year-old green card holder who has not yet met the five-year U.S. residency requirement is not eligible for Medicare, so the clock for penalties hasn’t started.
Once they reach five years of continuous lawful residency, they can enroll during their Initial Enrollment Period, and as long as they sign up at that time, there is no penalty for not having had other insurance before then.
A 65-year-old green card holder who hasn’t met the five-year U.S. residency requirement cannot enroll in Medicare Part A or Part B yet, so no late-enrollment penalties apply. The penalty only starts once someone is eligible for Medicare and chooses not to enroll while lacking other creditable coverage. Until they meet the five-year residency rule, they are simply not eligible, so no penalties can accrue.
If a green card holder hasn’t reached 5 years of U.S. residency, they aren’t eligible for Medicare yet, so there’s no penalty at age 65. The clock doesn’t start until they actually become eligible, and once they hit that five year mark they can enroll without any late fees. Hope this helps.
No — a 65‑year‑old green card holder who has not met the five‑year U.S. residency requirement cannot enroll in Medicare Part A or B yet and therefore cannot incur late‑enrollment penalties.
Unfortunately, if you do not meet the requirements for Medicare there is no payment of penalty that will allow you to enroll. You have to be present in the United States or its territories for eligibility. There are no previsions for green card holders or other classes of people. Work and pay taxes for 40 quarters, be 65 years old and present in the country for 5 years or married to a spouse that meets the requirements. Most Medicare penalties are for late enrollments.
There is no penalty because you would be ineligible to participate in Medicare. You have to be eligible for Medicare to be penalized.
Is there a penalty for Medicare Part A or B for a 65-year-old green card holder who hasn’t met the five-year U.S. residency requirement and has no other insurance?
Since they have not met the 5-year U.S. residency requirement they would not be subject to any penalties. However, as soon as they reach the 5-year requirement the clock starts on their initial enrollment period. If they do not enroll during the initial enrollment period window of time which is a total of 7 months, they will be subject to penalties.
A 65-year-old green card holder who hasn't met the five-year U.S. residency requirement and has no other insurance may face penalties for late enrollment in Medicare Part A and/or Part B. These penalties can increase their premiums by a certain percentage for each year they were eligible but did not enroll.
No. there is no penalty for someone who is not yet eligible for Medicare.
A 65-year-old green card holder who hasn’t met the five-year U.S. residency requirement cannot enroll yet, and therefore cannot be penalized for not having Part A or Part B.
