Federal, State, and local government employees who work in MQGE pay only the HI portion of the FICA tax and earn quarters of coverage (GEQCs) which are used to insure them for HI entitlement purposes only. GEQCs are credited for the same amount of wages and in the same way as SSQCs. GEQCs may be used alone or in combination with regular SSQCs to establish HI insured status.

An individual who would be insured for monthly title II benefits or for HI entitlement under the ESRD provisions if GEQCs were SSQCs is insured for HI.

An individual who performed service in Federal employment at any time during 1/83 may receive deemed GEQCs for each quarter prior to 1/83 in which the individual was a Federal employee and which would have been an SSQC if pre-1983 Federal employment had been SSA covered employment. An individual was a Federal employee during 1/83 if the individual was in pay status (including on approved annual or sick leave) or on approved LWOP. In addition, certain other categories of individuals in non-pay status were considered Federal employees during 1/83 for purposes of this provision. (See HI 00801.420D. for a discussion of what constitutes evidence of employment during January 1983).