If my friend did not contribute to Social Security, can he still receive Medicaid at retirement age ? ( He now receives SSI and Medicaid, and is turning 62 in January )
Thank you for your time and attention,
Sincerely,
J

Hi J,

I assume you want to know if your friend could get Medicare at age 65, since his Medicaid eligibility won't end simply because he reaches a certain age. All U.S. citizens are eligible for Medicare coverage at age 65 whether or not they've contributed to Social Security. The only difference between someone who has contributed long enough to be insured for Social Security benefits and someone who hasn't is that uninsured people who don't qualify on the record of a spouse or parent must pay a monthly premium for Part A of Medicare, whereas insured individuals get Part A (Inpatient Hospital) coverage premium free.

For more information on Medicare eligibility and coverage, refer to the following publication: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10043.pdf.

Best, Jerry