How many work credits do I need for premium-free Part A?
The short answer
You generally need 40 work credits, which most people earn over about 10 years of working and paying Medicare taxes, to get Part A without a monthly premium.
The full explanation
Medicare measures your work history in credits. In 2024, you earn one credit for every $1,730 in wages or self-employment income, and you can earn up to 4 credits per year. To qualify for premium-free Part A, the hospital coverage portion of Medicare, you need 40 credits total. For most people, that is roughly 10 years of work.If you are short of 40 credits, you may still be able to get Part A, but you will pay a monthly premium for it. The less work history you have, the higher that premium tends to be. Credits do not have to be consecutive, they accumulate over your lifetime, so gaps in employment do not reset the clock.You can also qualify through a spouse's work record, current or former, including in some cases a deceased or divorced spouse. If your spouse has the 40 credits and you are 65 or older, that typically opens the door to premium-free Part A for you as well.Social Security keeps track of your credits. You can check your record anytime at ssa.gov to see where you stand before you get close to 65.
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