2019 Social Security and Medicare changes
The cost of the credits that a worker needs to qualify for Social Security benefits and Medicare coverage is going up. To be eligible for Social Security and Medicare, you must earn at least 40 Social Security credits with a maximum of four credits per year. In 2019, each credit represents $1,360 in earnings, up $40 from last year. That means, an individual must earn at least $5,440 in 2019 to qualify for the maximum four credits, compared to $5,280 in 2018.