Article 8.4 stipulates that persons who qualify for U.S. benefits based solely on their U.S. coverage are not eligible for U.S. totalization benefits. Thus, when a worker who is entitled to a pro rata (totalization) benefit from the United States acquires additional U.S. coverage which enables the person to qualify for an equal or higher benefit based solely on his or her U.S. coverage, SSA will pay the regular national law benefit rather than the totalization benefit.
