open enrollment

[Twisted K 2]

Hi everyone. It is now our open enrollment for next year's medical/dental/vision insurance. My husband is planning on being here sometime in February. Should I enroll him now and just pay for January although he will not be living here? I can't do a change in status because we will have been married for almost a year. As it stands my HR department told me we could buy an individual policy for a month then drop it, and I can enroll him that way. We will check into seeing if he can work for the same company I do now (that is how we met, so he has experience already). But as you know, in life, there are no guarantees.

What are your thoughts? What did you guys do for your spouses?

[kaus&Sanu 0]

Hi everyone. It is now our open enrollment for next year's medical/dental/vision insurance. My husband is planning on being here sometime in February. Should I enroll him now and just pay for January although he will not be living here? I can't do a change in status because we will have been married for almost a year. As it stands my HR department told me we could buy an individual policy for a month then drop it, and I can enroll him that way. We will check into seeing if he can work for the same company I do now (that is how we met, so he has experience already). But as you know, in life, there are no guarantees.

What are your thoughts? What did you guys do for your spouses?

Hey kaushalia, it was open enrollment for my company too... I went ahead and enrolled her since I'm hoping on her being here... I also thought it would hold some more weight at the interview... But, the main reason was is because she won't be able to get enrolled until next open enrollemnt, I did'nt think of the individual policy idea.

[Chris Me lil D 17]

Hi everyone. It is now our open enrollment for next year's medical/dental/vision insurance. My husband is planning on being here sometime in February. Should I enroll him now and just pay for January although he will not be living here? I can't do a change in status because we will have been married for almost a year. As it stands my HR department told me we could buy an individual policy for a month then drop it, and I can enroll him that way. We will check into seeing if he can work for the same company I do now (that is how we met, so he has experience already). But as you know, in life, there are no guarantees.

What are your thoughts? What did you guys do for your spouses?

I guess it differs from state to state, from ins co to ins co, but when my husband tried to enroll me last winter after marriage, he's been told that because I am outside US and do not have the resident (green) card yet, they could not enroll me and we should wait until Dec 09 (as I could be enrolled only 30 days after the marriage).

When I got back in Sept, I called the ins co and spoke to them and said: I'm in US already, I'm pregnant and don't have ins. My husband has been said that he could not enroll me earlier because I was outside US. Well, now I'm in US and I'd like to get enrolled under his ins...

Then the ins co agent told me that they do not enroll until Dec 09, and I'd have to wait. Then it became a long story but calling both the ins co and my husband's employer, after all, someone in the payroll dept sent a letter to my husband requiring some docs from me. They admitted they didn't know that there is another window opened once the beneficiary enters the country. There is also something else. My husband's employer likes to play games with people, so we think they purposely delayed us with that matter. Now out of a sudden we got that letter stating that I could be enrolled not later than 30 days after becoming a legal resident. Well, I've been a legal resident since Sept 1st, but now is the end of Oct. I've passed the 30-day window. So what I did was I gave them a copy of the welcome notice dated Sept 30th, and I also gave them a copy of my GC, plus a copy of the USCIS letter stating they ordered a production of my GC on Oct 1st. I did it only because it states on my GC that I'm a resident since Sept 1st. So, now we just sit and wait to get an answer if they accepted it or not.

Meanwhile, I bought an insurance from another state ins co, as I need it due to my pregnancy and due to the fact that in our state (MA) every individual needs to have an ins, otherwise they charge you a fee for each month with no ins when you get you tax refund.

Hope that info helped you, good luck

[Chris Me lil D 17]

Hi everyone. It is now our open enrollment for next year's medical/dental/vision insurance. My husband is planning on being here sometime in February. Should I enroll him now and just pay for January although he will not be living here? I can't do a change in status because we will have been married for almost a year. As it stands my HR department told me we could buy an individual policy for a month then drop it, and I can enroll him that way. We will check into seeing if he can work for the same company I do now (that is how we met, so he has experience already). But as you know, in life, there are no guarantees.

What are your thoughts? What did you guys do for your spouses?

Hey kaushalia, it was open enrollment for my company too... I went ahead and enrolled her since I'm hoping on her being here... I also thought it would hold some more weight at the interview... But, the main reason was is because she won't be able to get enrolled until next open enrollemnt, I did'nt think of the individual policy idea.

how did you enroll her without a legal document proving residency, aka GC;

and how did you enroll her when she's overseas?

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I say go for it. Besides, this will also be proof of bonafide at the interview sweetie

[FinnLove 0]

Hi everyone. It is now our open enrollment for next year's medical/dental/vision insurance. My husband is planning on being here sometime in February. Should I enroll him now and just pay for January although he will not be living here? I can't do a change in status because we will have been married for almost a year. As it stands my HR department told me we could buy an individual policy for a month then drop it, and I can enroll him that way. We will check into seeing if he can work for the same company I do now (that is how we met, so he has experience already). But as you know, in life, there are no guarantees.

What are your thoughts? What did you guys do for your spouses?

I'm in the exact same boat! Open season starts in a few weeks, and my hubby will be here in February too. When I added him as the beneficiary on everything at work(i.e. life insurance, retirement, etc...), they told me that I could add him on my health insurance as soon as he moves here. Well, I'm not sure I believe that! I'm not sure what I'm going to do either, though I think they probably need an SSN to add him so it may not even work.

[Chris Me lil D 17]

Hi everyone. It is now our open enrollment for next year's medical/dental/vision insurance. My husband is planning on being here sometime in February. Should I enroll him now and just pay for January although he will not be living here? I can't do a change in status because we will have been married for almost a year. As it stands my HR department told me we could buy an individual policy for a month then drop it, and I can enroll him that way. We will check into seeing if he can work for the same company I do now (that is how we met, so he has experience already). But as you know, in life, there are no guarantees.

What are your thoughts? What did you guys do for your spouses?

I'm in the exact same boat! Open season starts in a few weeks, and my hubby will be here in February too. When I added him as the beneficiary on everything at work(i.e. life insurance, retirement, etc...), they told me that I could add him on my health insurance as soon as he moves here. Well, I'm not sure I believe that! I'm not sure what I'm going to do either, though I think they probably need an SSN to add him so it may not even work.

It is true. Ins co will not enroll someone who is overseas and does not have a valid residency document yet, as they do not cover medical cases outside USA. They don't need only his SSN, they also need his GC

[Twisted K 2]

thanks all, i just enrolled him. per hr, i used my address since this is where he will be staying, and as far as the ssn, i used 000-00-0001. i don't know if it is because i work for the insurance company or what, but it went through. i have been so used to not covering anyone but me, what a nice little chunk out of my paycheck these days

[ashlesha 0]

thanks all, i just enrolled him. per hr, i used my address since this is where he will be staying, and as far as the ssn, i used 000-00-0001. i don't know if it is because i work for the insurance company or what, but it went through. i have been so used to not covering anyone but me, what a nice little chunk out of my paycheck these days

You can enroll wthout any problems but you can always enroll when SO enters US so you don't end up paying for coverage not used. In your case it makes sense to enroll becuase he will be here in a matter of month. For folks who just begun their petition process I would say wait until she/he arrives. Since marriageis a life changing event it qualifies to change the coverage anytime (don't have to wait until open enrollment)..

[Twisted K 2]

our company only offers the life change even within 30 days of marriage.

[NArocks 13]

Just FYI when I added the biys I did not have there SSN, also I was allowed to add them once I knew they were coming. I married the dad in 07 and the biys got here in 08 and I was allowed to add them right then and there. Also as far as the SSN I just updated once I got it for them.

What paper are ya missing Sister??

[lindal24 1]

our company only offers the life change even within 30 days of marriage.

Same with my company...and if I didn't enroll my spouse then, I had to wait for open enrollment. One year had passed and he was still over there. He just got approved and will be here this afternoon! Our open enrollment closed 10/30/09...I added him for full health dental and life...

Check with your company because some don't consider immigration as life changing...obviously they're not well traveled!

[Twisted K 2]

yeah, it is funny, and it was through my company that i met my husband. they were the one sending me to india (of course, how would they know i would fall in love )

CONGRATS on your husband finally coming home

[pushbrk 12,876]

Hi everyone. It is now our open enrollment for next year's medical/dental/vision insurance. My husband is planning on being here sometime in February. Should I enroll him now and just pay for January although he will not be living here? I can't do a change in status because we will have been married for almost a year. As it stands my HR department told me we could buy an individual policy for a month then drop it, and I can enroll him that way. We will check into seeing if he can work for the same company I do now (that is how we met, so he has experience already). But as you know, in life, there are no guarantees.

What are your thoughts? What did you guys do for your spouses?

I'm in the exact same boat! Open season starts in a few weeks, and my hubby will be here in February too. When I added him as the beneficiary on everything at work(i.e. life insurance, retirement, etc...), they told me that I could add him on my health insurance as soon as he moves here. Well, I'm not sure I believe that! I'm not sure what I'm going to do either, though I think they probably need an SSN to add him so it may not even work.

It is true. Ins co will not enroll someone who is overseas and does not have a valid residency document yet, as they do not cover medical cases outside USA. They don't need only his SSN, they also need his GC

What you can do will vary with the insurance plan. Some require a Social Security Number. When my wife and daughter came, my employer's plan accepted their visa and US entry documentation as the "life event" that justified adding them. Since they arrived on a Friday night late on the 31st of August, they back-dated the coverage to September 1, even though I called a few days into September. I would say, make certain you are talking to the most competent HR person or directly to a supervisor at the insurance company and go with their answer.

[FinnLove 0]

Hi everyone. It is now our open enrollment for next year's medical/dental/vision insurance. My husband is planning on being here sometime in February. Should I enroll him now and just pay for January although he will not be living here? I can't do a change in status because we will have been married for almost a year. As it stands my HR department told me we could buy an individual policy for a month then drop it, and I can enroll him that way. We will check into seeing if he can work for the same company I do now (that is how we met, so he has experience already). But as you know, in life, there are no guarantees.

What are your thoughts? What did you guys do for your spouses?

I'm in the exact same boat! Open season starts in a few weeks, and my hubby will be here in February too. When I added him as the beneficiary on everything at work(i.e. life insurance, retirement, etc...), they told me that I could add him on my health insurance as soon as he moves here. Well, I'm not sure I believe that! I'm not sure what I'm going to do either, though I think they probably need an SSN to add him so it may not even work.

It is true. Ins co will not enroll someone who is overseas and does not have a valid residency document yet, as they do not cover medical cases outside USA. They don't need only his SSN, they also need his GC

What you can do will vary with the insurance plan. Some require a Social Security Number. When my wife and daughter came, my employer's plan accepted their visa and US entry documentation as the "life event" that justified adding them. Since they arrived on a Friday night late on the 31st of August, they back-dated the coverage to September 1, even though I called a few days into September. I would say, make certain you are talking to the most competent HR person or directly to a supervisor at the insurance company and go with their answer.

This is through the federal government...so you know how that goes! I know marriage is a life changing event, but I also got married in August. Oh well. I'll figure it out somehow!