Medicare eligibility for non-U.S. citizens

If you are not a U.S. citizen, you may still be able to get Medicare, depending on your circumstances.  

You are eligible 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) and you are either a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), certain Cuban or Haitian immigrant, or from a Compact of Free Association (COFA) country.  

In any of these cases, you will qualify for premium-free Part A. You will owe a premium for Part B. 

If you are over 65 and do not qualify to receive or currently receive Social Security retirement or Railroad Retirement Benefits, you are eligible for Medicare if you are a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) and you have lived in the United States for at least five years prior to applying for Medicare.  In this case, you will owe a premium for Part A and Part B.  

Note: Some people who were eligible for Medicare because they qualified for or received Social Security Social Security retirement benefits, Railroad Retirement Benefits (RRB), or  Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a monthly benefit provided through the Social Security Administration for people who are unable to work because of a severe medical impairment (disability). People who receive SSDI for 24 months are eligible for Medicare. benefits before July 4, 2025, but are not U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, qualifying Cuban or Haitian immigrants, or residents from a Compact of Free Association (COFA) country, lost that eligibility as a result of HR 1. That law directs Social Security to notify and disenroll those individuals by January 2027.