A very important warning re:medical insurance

[inhopeofglory 0]

Hi,

I've been trying to get my head around the US medical system... it's not easy. I've been looking for some temporary health insurance between POE (actually 17 days after POE - I got my travel insurance with the Post Office, which covers emigration for 17 days) and getting a job (and thus going on a work policy). After a lot of searching, I looked at Atlas America, which is quoted as suitable by virtually every "immigrant insurance" website/broker I've found on the web.

I decided to go to the source (the guys who are responsible for the actual insurance) to buy the policy, rather than use a broker, and boy am I glad I did! The first thing the agent said to me is "Are you going to be residing permanently in the US?" Yes, I am... "I'm sorry, this policy isn't suitable for your situation." WHAT?

Turns out it's visitor-only insurance, and legally if you're not intending to return to your home country it doesn't cover you as you're not classed as a visitor. They're "speaking to their brokers" about the multiple websites that quote Atlas America as being suitable for immigrants. (!!!)

I feel like hitting my head against a brick wall. *sigh*

It's a real shame, because the policy excesses (deductible) and overall premiums are SO much better than the domestic policies... So be warned - go to the source and double-triple-check that their policy is suitable. Ask them several times to be sure and take the agent's name so you have some possibility of fallback if they try to refuse your claim.

Anyone had any luck getting a decent temporary health insurance in Texas for less than $175/mo (that's what it'll cost to go on my OH's work policy)?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Anyone had any luck getting a decent temporary health insurance in Texas for less than $175/mo (that's what it'll cost to go on my OH's work policy)?

The $175/mo isn't way out of line to get on her policy. You could find a job and their insurance coverage cost could be even higher than that for yourself. Insurance is all over the place, cost-wise. The coverage of what you get makes the difference in price. It's impossible to talk prices without comparing details. It's like saying "I got a car for $5000"....well what year, what make, what condition?

Many people in Texas who are insuring independently use Blue Cross/Blue Shield. It may be called Blue Cross of Texas. Understand what is covered and about deductibles and co-pays and out of pocket maximums.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

$175/mo for a decent policy sounds like a good deal. Unfortunately, there really is no such thing as a decent (i.e., with meaningful coverage) inexpensive policy. Also, the individual insurance market is a clusterfvck, so you're probably better off getting on a group plan if you can. I'm assuming that your fiancee has insurance through work? If so, this is a group policy. I'd get on that ASAP (if outside the open enrollment period, she'll have to add you within 30 days of marriage). If you get a job later on that offers insurance, your wife can always take you off her policy.

This isn't to say that you can't find an individual policy; they just tend to be expensive or have huge deductibles, preexisting condition exclusions, etc.

I haven't lived in Texas for about 10 years, but I did have a Blue Cross policy called SelecTEMP for a couple of months. It was inexpensive (under $100/mo) but had a big deductible. But still, better than nothing! I imagine you can't get a policy nowadays for less than $100/mo with a deductible under 10K. It's really getting crazy.

[Boiler 45,997]

If you do not want her insurance, can I have it?

I am surprised the Post Office covers emmigrants.

[inhopeofglory 0]

Thanks for your replies. It appears from what you're saying that my expectations are too high. I guess I'm too used to British travel insurance and the comprehensive overseas medical cover it provides without charging the Earth.

Yeah, the Post Office has a clause in its policy that they'll cover up to 17 days for the purpose of emigration only.

Has anyone here used http://www.usnetcare.com/ for immigrant insurance? For $122/mo (their highest policy if you're 24-30) and a $25/event co-pay, you get 90/10 co-insurance up to $250,000/year ($1 million lifetime).

Edited March 15, 2010 by inhopeofglory

[Rob and Jill 82]

Does your fiance have something against adding you to her policy?

I would check in the U.K. and see if there is some kind of health insurance you can purchase from a private insurer while traveling up until the point of your marriage (or the following month due to some policies taking awhile to kick in.) Furthermore, check with your airline...a lot of them have travel policies attached to your flights etc.

The last policy coverages you posted is pretty damn good for a private insurer. However, take in to account, those prices start going up for pre-existing copnditions, smoking, weight, and the list goes on.

[Alex356 0]

The $175 to join your OH's plan is a great deal.

Be VERY careful of any insurance that is cheaper than that!! There are tons of scams out there. $122 sounds too good to be true

To give you an idea, at most companies, they pay $800-1000 per month for one person's insurance...the $175 is just a small portion that they require the employees to help out with.

[Rob and Jill 82]

The $175 to join your OH's plan is a great deal.

Be VERY careful of any insurance that is cheaper than that!! There are tons of scams out there. $122 sounds too good to be true

To give you an idea, at most companies, they pay $800-1000 per month for one person's insurance...the $175 is just a small portion that they require the employees to help out with.

I am not sure where you have gotten those numbers, but as someone who works in the insurance industry I can assure you those figures are grossly overestimated. If someone is paying that much for insurance, it is probably for a VERY small company whose employees have a lot of pre-existing conditions or something else is going on. $1k a month would cover a whole family normally.

Typically, and it depends on the state you live in, the employer is required to pay half of the employees insurance costs. However, the employer is not required to pay anything towards the family coverages. This is why it is usually cheaper for a husband and wife to have insurance through their own respective places of business versus having the same insurance. This is why the employee's insurance may only be $50.00 a pay check and for the spouse on the same insurance it is $100.00 a pay period (I am making up numbers here to show the point). The employer is paying the other $50.00 a pay period for the employee, but is not paying anything for the spouse. Again these laws can vary from state to state, so it's possible for individual insurance to be as high as you said, but not likely and nothing I have EVER seen outside of the COBRA program.

You need to really REALLY read what you are looking at with these policies. If you go through a private insurer and have ANY pre-existing conditions they could exclude them for up to 1 year even IF YOU BUY A POLICY. You might want to get a letter from your old doctor stating you had medical coverage up until X date in order to help with that. I could go on and on about the warnings, just make sure you read it and that you understand EVERYTHING before you purchase a private policy. Even some group plans have really....REALLY annoying policies.

Case and point:

When I swapped to a job in the insurance industry I was hired as a temp and lost my old insurance. (the overlap was short so I dealt with it). About 4 months after I was on the new policy I had to go and have a heart test run. Insurance paid for the tests up to their part of my policy. However, when I went to the doctor to get the results of the TEST, they wouldn't pay for the office visit ans said it was a pre-existing condition because I just had the test for it. I had to FIGHT it and it was the most absurd fight I have ever had to go through in my life.

Be very wary.

[Martin&Nat 0]

I have insurance with these guys:

http://www.sevencorners.com/insuranceplans/immigrantmedical/

Seeing as the insurance is specifically called, 'Immigrant Insurance', I think it should be suitable.

Bear in mind that insurance like this is really only for emergencies - it includes very limited (if any) primary care. However, it's all I can afford when it would cost me $400 a month to go on my wife's work policy.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Martin&Nat

[Alex356 0]

I am not sure where you have gotten those numbers, but as someone who works in the insurance industry I can assure you those figures are grossly overestimated. If someone is paying that much for insurance, it is probably for a VERY small company whose employees have a lot of pre-existing conditions or something else is going on. $1k a month would cover a whole family normally.

Typically, and it depends on the state you live in, the employer is required to pay half of the employees insurance costs. However, the employer is not required to pay anything towards the family coverages. This is why it is usually cheaper for a husband and wife to have insurance through their own respective places of business versus having the same insurance. This is why the employee's insurance may only be $50.00 a pay check and for the spouse on the same insurance it is $100.00 a pay period (I am making up numbers here to show the point). The employer is paying the other $50.00 a pay period for the employee, but is not paying anything for the spouse. Again these laws can vary from state to state, so it's possible for individual insurance to be as high as you said, but not likely and nothing I have EVER seen outside of the COBRA program.

You need to really REALLY read what you are looking at with these policies. If you go through a private insurer and have ANY pre-existing conditions they could exclude them for up to 1 year even IF YOU BUY A POLICY. You might want to get a letter from your old doctor stating you had medical coverage up until X date in order to help with that. I could go on and on about the warnings, just make sure you read it and that you understand EVERYTHING before you purchase a private policy. Even some group plans have really....REALLY annoying policies.

Case and point:

When I swapped to a job in the insurance industry I was hired as a temp and lost my old insurance. (the overlap was short so I dealt with it). About 4 months after I was on the new policy I had to go and have a heart test run. Insurance paid for the tests up to their part of my policy. However, when I went to the doctor to get the results of the TEST, they wouldn't pay for the office visit ans said it was a pre-existing condition because I just had the test for it. I had to FIGHT it and it was the most absurd fight I have ever had to go through in my life.

Be very wary.

It's very good insurance. Mine covers medical, dental, orthodontic, and vision.

[Boiler 45,997]

I have never heard of an employer being required to pay towards health insurance, but there are a lot of States.

We looked it into it for our employees, would cost more than we pay them!

COBRA is supposed to be the real cost, last time we had the 'opportunity' it was over a $1,000 for the 2 of us.

And premiums are only the start..

[Gemmie 142]

All of the health insurance stuff has me banging my head against a wall sometimes. I've been in the US for 9 months and I still don't have health insurance. Yesterday I was told that the state has the right to take a hefty sum from our tax return, but luckily there's a way around it if I can prove we don't make a lot of money and I've been here for less than a year. Phew!

We've been waiting on my husband's employer. The policy states he has to work 3 months full-time to be on their health insurance (which he has) and they still haven't given us the details on who it's through or if I can be added. Apparently he'll be paying like $400 a month for us at least, which is a lot considering he only makes $1600 a month. So basically we're counting on me landing a job with better benefits.

[Rob and Jill 82]

It's very good insurance. Mine covers medical, dental, orthodontic, and vision.

Mine too and it's less than $80.00 a month which means adding my fiance to it is about $160.00 a month. Some of you guys are getting bent over...I'm actually disturbed and as much as I LOATHE my new comapny (the old one had even better benefits), I think I'll quit complaining now.

The policy states he has to work 3 months full-time to be on their health insurance (which he has) and they still haven't given us the details on who it's through or if I can be added.

He needs to talk to his Human Resources rep and find out. If he doesn't have it he might have missed the boat...

Generally this is how it works. Let's assume your fiance' has insurance. When you get married it is considered a "qualifying event" and there is a window of time he has to add you to his policy. If he does not do it within that time frame, you cannot be added until the next open enrollment, and the date for that varies by company. Example: If Rob moves here in July and we marry in July. I will have 30 days to add him to my insurance. If I don't add him within those 30 days, I have to wait until open enrollment in January to add him.

Does that help? I know it's confusing, but if it makes you feel better listening to him talk about the healthcare in the UK makes me want to pull my hair out on occassion. I think it is just getting used to the unknown.

I have never heard of an employer being required to pay towards health insurance, but there are a lot of States.

We looked it into it for our employees, would cost more than we pay them!

COBRA is supposed to be the real cost, last time we had the 'opportunity' it was over a $1,000 for the 2 of us.

And premiums are only the start..

It is that way in my state! I am kind of curious to find out now if there are more.

I have never heard of an employer being required to pay towards health insurance, but there are a lot of States.

We looked it into it for our employees, would cost more than we pay them!

COBRA is supposed to be the real cost, last time we had the 'opportunity' it was over a $1,000 for the 2 of us.

And premiums are only the start..

[Gemmie 142]

He needs to talk to his Human Resources rep and find out. If he doesn't have it he might have missed the boat...

Generally this is how it works. Let's assume your fiance' has insurance. When you get married it is considered a "qualifying event" and there is a window of time he has to add you to his policy. If he does not do it within that time frame, you cannot be added until the next open enrollment, and the date for that varies by company. Example: If Rob moves here in July and we marry in July. I will have 30 days to add him to my insurance. If I don't add him within those 30 days, I have to wait until open enrollment in January to add him.

Does that help? I know it's confusing, but if it makes you feel better listening to him talk about the healthcare in the UK makes me want to pull my hair out on occassion. I think it is just getting used to the unknown.

Yeah that makes sense, thanks.

He's been trying to get answers but everything takes so freaking long in his company. He was promised a raise months ago, and also trying to get the 'go ahead' to get on a training course they offer, but it seems we're waiting on people to get back to us on any of it. I know that he qualified for health insurance in February or March, so even though we got married in September, I'm hoping it's fine to just add me onto it as it's new for him as well.

What don't you understand about UK healthcare? As far as I understood, it's mostly just provided if needed.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

What don't you understand about UK healthcare? As far as I understood, it's mostly just provided if needed.

Yes, I'm curious on this point also.

Mostly becaues it's my experience that many don't miss what they've got till it's gone.