How To I Qualify For Medicare? 
To qualify for free Medicare Part A , you must have worked 10 years , or have/had a spouse who did so , at a job in which you paid taxes into Social Security . Otherwise , you can pay for Medicare Part A if you have been a legal resident of the US for at least 5 years . You can also qualify for Medicare if you have received SSDI for two years , or have ALS or ESRD , in some cases . Contact your local Social Security office for more information . 