Will Social Security/Medicare Eligibility Remain 40 Quarters?

November 17, 2014 6:44 PM

Full eligibility for social security and Medicare requires a minimum 40 quarters of contributions. How worried should I be that this goalpost might be moved in the next decade or two (i.e. that more than 40 quarters might eventually be required)? I realize these programs are periodically threatened with reform, but is this particular threshold one of the facets challenged by reformers?
posted by Quisp Lover to Law & Government (2 answers total)

Best answer: I've read a number of reform proposals, and that threshold doesn't come up in the ones I saw. If you want to "bend the curve," you've got to do something that affects some nonzero number of people, like reducing benefits for the many wealthy recipients, etc.

Historically, there have been a number of changes to the amount of money you have to make for a quarter to count, and the number of quarters.

Also, very few people of age fail to qualify. Not much comfort if you're one of the 5%, but if you read the study the majority are recent immigrants.
posted by wnissen at 10:18 PM on November 17, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: wnissen is correct; the odds of that specific parameter being changed is effectively zero. It just doesn't come up. The Social Security actuary has a list of more than 100 provisions it has analyzed, and a change in the 40 quarters minimum is not on it.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 7:08 AM on November 18, 2014