Health Insurance before Green Card

[TJM 0]

I have heard conflicting things regarding health insurance. My current health insurance provider won't allow my wife who entered the US from South Africa to get her own health insurance until after she has her green card and has been in the US for 6 months. I have heard that some insurers will provide her with insurance after she is married.

Has anyone found an insurance company that will insure an immigrant who entered on a K1 to obtain insurance immediately or after they marry.

I am not talking about temporary or travel insurance ... which does not cover even normal checkups.

[Ste&Velma 3]

The only document I needed for getting a health plan coverage was my SSN, which I possessed way before I could get my GC. And it's already been six months since I am covered, as I eventually received my GC just last month. Anyway, the plan I am in is not a familiar one, that means it doesn't include my wife because we both decided for two individual ones, as they would have given us a lower monthly pay that way. My suggestion is to check on the many other health plan providers' requirements, since you should be able to find companies not needing the GC as an ID (my foreign passport and SSN were just fine for me). For your information, my health plan is Medical Card Systems, which I actually don't know if it's operating in the 48 continental states (I live in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico).

Hope you'll successfully solve everything. Take care.

Stefano

[cartaverde 12]

I've been covered in my husband's health insurance (provided by work) since we got married - much before I could even enter the country, and much before getting the SSN or GC.

If he can get a coverage via the work place, it's worth checking if that can include the spouse.