US Medicare eligibility

I was just reading some of the posts here. With regards to Medicare that are being deducted to the pay check. How come we are not eligible to it? I am just curious.

What's your status in the US? Your immigrant status will depend on your eligibility to Medicare.

Medicare isn't included in the totalization agreement so it's free money for the US Govt. essentially, unless you are a permanent resident or citizen of the US.

and it depends on how you've rec'd your permanent residency. Sponsored immigrants are not eligible for means tested benefits, which most of Medicare is considered IIRC, emergency care might be allowed, depending on circumstances. If you make any claims on any means tested benefits, your sponsor will be billed.

So yeah, you'll pay into it, but you can't benefit from it. Total scam IMO, but that's the government for ya!

"Sponsored" how? Employer and family?

Yeap. The I-864 Affidavit of Support that a sponsor signs says that if the beneficiary accesses any means tested benefits, the sponsor will be liable to pay the money back to the government. The affidavit is for 10 years responsibility, or until the beneficiary (immigrant) has 40 quarter credits of work, or until they become a citizen, whichever comes first.

If an employer sponsor has to do the I-864, then it would include for employment sponsored visas, as well as family based sponsored visas.

I thought I read on one of the official US government website that anyone who stayed (ie. worked and payd taxes) at least 5 years can ask for eligibility at 65. (I am not talking about pension). I will try to find this piece of information.

Well if you stay five years you can get citizenship anyway, so it's a moot point (although citizenship applications are taking over a year, I hear), unless you're in some sort of non-immigrant classification. Social security isn't really an issue because of the totalization agreement, it's medicare that's the problem.

Social Security isn't included in the means tested benefits category. Its like our CPP.