Insurance for your spouse

[Justin and Masako 0]

Hi all,

I have insurance though my work and I am attempting to add my wife to my policy as it has to be done within three months of our marriage. The insurance company seems to be trying to come up with any reasons they can to avoid covering her. She still lives in Japan and works there. She has insurance through her work (though she is not covered when she visits the US). She is (obviously) not a citizen and she doesn't have a SSN, and is of course not eligible for one until the I-130 process is done.

Has anyone in a similar circumstance been able to get their spouse insurance? I don't want her to have to keep buying travel insurance when she comes for visits and when she quits her work she will have no insurance at all. Though she won't quit until she gets her visa.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

MODS: I wasn't sure what category to put this into so if its in the wrong place I am sorry and feel free to move it.

Edited January 8, 2008 by Justin and Masako

[mateo 0]

Hi all,

I have insurance though my work and I am attempting to add my wife to my policy as it has to be done within three months of our marriage. The insurance company seems to be trying to come up with any reasons they can to avoid covering her. She still lives in Japan and works there. She has insurance through her work (though she is not covered when she visits the US). She is (obviously) not a citizen and she doesn't have a SSN, and is of course not eligible for one until the I-130 process is done.

Has anyone in a similar circumstance been able to get their spouse insurance? I don't want her to have to keep buying travel insurance when she comes for visits and when she quits her work she will have no insurance at all. Though she won't quit until she gets her visa.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

MODS: I wasn't sure what category to put this into so if its in the wrong place I am sorry and feel free to move it.

Most insurance companies will not cover a spouse that does not live with you regardless of citizenship or immigrant status. If you overcome this portion you will be covered. I suppose you could say she has moved in with you. Not sure now what they will require since you have had issues already. I would work it from the point where she is living with you and traveling overseas when she is in Japan.

Thats what I do.

m.

[simple_male 1]

Hi all,

I have insurance though my work and I am attempting to add my wife to my policy as it has to be done within three months of our marriage. The insurance company seems to be trying to come up with any reasons they can to avoid covering her. She still lives in Japan and works there. She has insurance through her work (though she is not covered when she visits the US). She is (obviously) not a citizen and she doesn't have a SSN, and is of course not eligible for one until the I-130 process is done.

Has anyone in a similar circumstance been able to get their spouse insurance? I don't want her to have to keep buying travel insurance when she comes for visits and when she quits her work she will have no insurance at all. Though she won't quit until she gets her visa.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

MODS: I wasn't sure what category to put this into so if its in the wrong place I am sorry and feel free to move it.

Most insurance companies will not cover a spouse that does not live with you regardless of citizenship or immigrant status. If you overcome this portion you will be covered. I suppose you could say she has moved in with you. Not sure now what they will require since you have had issues already. I would work it from the point where she is living with you and traveling overseas when she is in Japan.

Thats what I do.

m.

It depends on the insurance company. Usually, in a certain time range of a year, they allow principal memeber to add/modify to the current coverage. Some changes can take affect immediately i.e., birth of a child, marriage, divorce, death of a dependendent. You should talk to the insurance company and find out when you will be able to add your wife. Explain the immigrant visa process and they might be able to add her as soon as she comes to USA.

Edited January 8, 2008 by simple_male

[Justin and Masako 0]

Just an update,

I just heard from the insurance company and she is now fully covered. I had a little chat with them earlier and I think that helped the process along.

Thanks for your replies!

[dbzman 0]

Hi all,

I have insurance though my work and I am attempting to add my wife to my policy as it has to be done within three months of our marriage. The insurance company seems to be trying to come up with any reasons they can to avoid covering her. She still lives in Japan and works there. She has insurance through her work (though she is not covered when she visits the US). She is (obviously) not a citizen and she doesn't have a SSN, and is of course not eligible for one until the I-130 process is done.

Has anyone in a similar circumstance been able to get their spouse insurance? I don't want her to have to keep buying travel insurance when she comes for visits and when she quits her work she will have no insurance at all. Though she won't quit until she gets her visa.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

MODS: I wasn't sure what category to put this into so if its in the wrong place I am sorry and feel free to move it.

Justin and Masako,

I married my Japanese wife in April of 2007 and was able to get her on my Insurance soon after. I had to have a translated copy of the marriage certificate to prove that we were married. It did not seem to be a problem for me after that.

Of course you are at the mercy of your insurance company and your Human Resource Manager. If the Resource Manager will help it becomes much easier.

My insurance is with Bluecross Blueshield of New York.

Good Luck!

[HOHOHO 0]

I decided against spending the extra money on insurance for my spouse this year via my employment, since there's not a chance in hell of her actually getting a visa in 2008. If there is ANY movement, meaning I get a reciept and maybe a hint of her having a chance at a visa in 2009 I'll consider adding her for next year. Why throw money on coverage she can't use.

[simple_male 1]

I decided against spending the extra money on insurance for my spouse this year via my employment, since there's not a chance in hell of her actually getting a visa in 2008. If there is ANY movement, meaning I get a reciept and maybe a hint of her having a chance at a visa in 2009 I'll consider adding her for next year. Why throw money on coverage she can't use.

Yes, that is a good idea. But talk to your HR as soon as you know when your wife will be in the USA with immigrant visa.

[Justin and Masako 0]

I decided against spending the extra money on insurance for my spouse this year via my employment, since there's not a chance in hell of her actually getting a visa in 2008. If there is ANY movement, meaning I get a reciept and maybe a hint of her having a chance at a visa in 2009 I'll consider adding her for next year. Why throw money on coverage she can't use.

My work pays for the health insurance at 100%, so it makes no impact on my paycheck. That being said I probably wouldn't have enrolled her until just before she moved here except that I have to enroll her within 3 months of our marriage if I want her to be automatically qualified. Otherwise she would have to have medical exams and prove that she has no existing conditions before they would cover her. So it was pretty much enroll her now or have to go through the exams and medical histories later.