An individual who has earned 30 to 39 work credits (quarters of coverage) and enrolls in Medicare Part A at age 65 will:

Why A is correct

Premium-free Medicare Part A requires 40 work credits, roughly ten years of covered employment. A person who has earned 30 to 39 credits is still entitled to Part A at age 65 but must pay a reduced monthly premium, while a person with fewer than 30 credits pays a higher monthly premium. The credit tiers directly control the Part A premium amount, so the individual with 30 to 39 credits pays a reduced premium — not the full rate and not nothing. Option A correctly states the premium outcome for this credit range.

Why the other options are wrong

• B) Any work history is not enough; the 40-credit threshold governs premium-free Part A, so most short or part-time work histories still trigger a premium. The 40-credit threshold is the statutory test for premium-free Part A, and shorter histories fall short.
• C) The premium varies by credit count: 40 credits yields free Part A, 30-39 credits yields a reduced premium, and under 30 credits yields a higher premium, so the amounts differ. Each credit tier carries its own premium outcome, so the amounts are not identical across tiers.
• D) Part A coverage begins at age 65 once eligibility is met; there is no rule that delays Part A enrollment to age 70 based on the number of work credits. Eligibility begins at 65 for covered individuals, with no artificial delay to age 70.

Memory hook

40 credits = free Part A. 30-39 = a discount. Under 30 = full freight. Count your quarters.

Why A is correct

Premium-free Part A requires 40 quarters of Medicare-covered employment. Individuals with 30-39 quarters may still enroll in Part A by paying a reduced monthly premium, while those with fewer than 30 quarters pay a higher Part A premium to buy the same coverage. The credit tiers — 40 quarters for free coverage, 30-39 for the reduced premium, and 0-29 for the higher premium — are a specific Medicare eligibility exam point. Waiting to age 70 does not cure a shortfall, and Medigap cannot create Part A coverage.

Why the other options are wrong

• B) Waiting does not cure insufficient credits; Part A is not automatic at 70 for those lacking the work record, so this option invents a benefit the program does not provide.
• C) The 30-39 tier pays a reduced premium, distinctly lower than the premium charged to those with 0-29 credits, so this answer wrongly equates the two tiers.
• D) Medigap supplements Original Medicare and requires Part A and Part B enrollment; it cannot itself provide Part A, so this option confuses a supplement with the base coverage.

Memory hook

40 credits = free Part A; 30-39 = reduced premium; 0-29 = higher premium. Count your quarters.