The unluckiest wedding ever (and an I-134 clarification)

[walkerr06 0]

Thanks, everybody... I am calling my healthcare provider as we speak, so hopefully they'll be kind to me.

So, even though we are married, so long as we haven't filed AOS yet we could use federal or state benefits?

He is being admitted to surgery tonight... The "funny" part is that the problem was caused by a surgery done under his Dutch health insurance.

[amykathleen2005 441]

As I said before, go to the financial people at the hospital and ask about emergency medicaid, they will let you know what you need to qualify.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

You have been told that the K1 affidavit is unenforceable but that doesn't mean AOS will go smoothly if he starts collecting benefits here against your unenforceable promise to the government. My son had uninsured appendix surgery and the bill was just short of 100k for that. If you have assets don't count on qualifying for aid. You may well be looking at long term payments.

[Boiler 45,559]

You have been told that the K1 affidavit is unenforceable but that doesn't mean AOS will go smoothly if he starts collecting benefits here against your unenforceable promise to the government. My son had uninsured appendix surgery and the bill was just short of 100k for that. If you have assets don't count on qualifying for aid. You may well be looking at long term payments.

Why and how would it ever come up?

The I 134 is unenforceable and I have yet to come across a case where the Gov has connected the dots and followed through on an I 864.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

In proving you qualify to adjust status you have to prove you met the conditions of a K1 , one of those conditions is the I 134 you signed even if it isn't enforceable. Also everyone is assuming someone that is married to an employed person would even qualify for assistance. There is a good chance they won't and will be held responsible for the bills. My son owned nothing other than a beat up car and the clothes on his back and was working at a fast food joint and ended up with years and years of payments.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Usually those medicaid applications look at the family income/assets to determine approval. Since he is married to a wage earner, they may not qualify.

And what do people not understand about the intent of the Affidavit of Support? The US wants assurance that yet another person won't come into the country needing a handout from the government and our tax dollars. People are approved based on that promise. But they get here and immediately want somebody else to pay for their medical bills or maternity care. Not talking about you OP, because yours is an unfortunate timing issue with your marriage and insurance. Just an observation (tantrum) from reading too much VJ.

Edited October 26, 2010 by Nich-Nick

[walkerr06 0]

Thanks, all! It turns out that my health insurance company and boss are very accepting, and he'll be added to my insurance. Unfortunately, we are at an out-of-network hospital, so we will still be stuck with 40% of the bill. However, Chuck's mom hasn't given us a wedding present yet, so she has offered to step up and help with the medical bills. We feel so lucky! And he's doing much better.

Nich-Nick, I know, that was why I was not wanting to take up gov't support for him. As you commented, though, this is definitely a weird extenuating circumstance, as we've been planning on getting him insurance all along. He just happened to get sick at a really bad time. I find it interesting that people suggested him going back to the Netherlands... He probably would have died if we'd tried that!

Thanks again all,

Becki