Insurance question

[PhiLandShiR 18]

Hello,

My wife will be bringing her parents over when she gets her citizenship papers.

Her parents are both pushing 60. I am thinking I need to get some health insurance for both of them.

Is there a 'pre-existing condition' issue I need to address now? Before they get here?

Her mother tends to have high blood pressure and her father is pushing Type 2 diabetes pretty hard.

Can I get insurance for them in the Philippines that would roll over here to show they were insured in the past and thus avoid the pre-existing condidtion all together?

Anyone been through this?

Also, after they get their citizenship papers, in 5 years, can they apply for Medicare and Social Security?

I know her father wants to be employed here as soon as he can...

Thanks

-Phil

[belinda63 3,038]

Can't answer the insurance question but to be eligible for social security and probably also medicaid you have to have 40 quarters of work. Even if you can find insurance to cover them be prepared to pay a very large amount for it. So long and short you are looking at a minimum of 10 years of one or both of them working before they qualify for social security and/or Medicare.

[PhiLandShiR 18]

Can you shoot me a link on the 40 quarters info?

My mother never held a job in her entire life. 'Just' a house wife... she is on Medicare... my father is dead, she is collecting some beni's from SS too.

-Phil

Can't answer the insurance question but to be eligible for social security and probably also medicaid you have to have 40 quarters of work. Even if you can find insurance to cover them be prepared to pay a very large amount for it. So long and short you are looking at a minimum of 10 years of one or both of them working before they qualify for social security and/or Medicare.

[belinda63 3,038]

No problem right here. She is probably collecting benefits based upon her spouse's payment into the system. For example (and this is just a generality, lots of specifics apply) a spouse can collect social security based upon their wages or they can collect 1/2 of their spouses benefits depending on which is more and if the spouse is deceased they can collect 100% of their benefits. The key here is the spouse or applicant must have an eligibility for social security/medicare in order to receive benefits, eligibility meaning 40 quarters of qualifying income.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

social security and probably also medicaid you have to have 40 quarters of work

Actually isn't MedicAid free medical coverage that any USC can qualify for if they're low income?

[PhiLandShiR 18]

Good question! I don't know.

I will be signing paper that states I will support them for the next 10 years so I would expect my income to come into play here bit not really sure how much of an inpact it will have...

-P

Actually isn't MedicAid free medical coverage that any USC can qualify for if they're low income?

[belinda63 3,038]

Correct I mistyped and meant medicare. The 40 work quarters applied to medicare, not medicaid. For medicaid, it being a state managed insurance I believe general rules are anything other than emergency medicaid is not available to LPRs for 5 years. An of course the government could come after the sponsor for repayment.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Correct I mistyped and meant medicare. The 40 work quarters applied to medicare, not medicaid. For medicaid, it being a state managed insurance I believe general rules are anything other than emergency medicaid is not available to LPRs for 5 years. An of course the government could come after the sponsor for repayment.

But the OP's question was regarding once the parents are USC in 5 years at which point the AOS would be invalid and they wouldn't have to worry about it.

[belinda63 3,038]

Correct, but they still will not be eligible for Medicare of Social security until they meet the 40 quarters of work to qualify even if they obtain citizenship.

The affidavit of support would not be an issue once they obtain citizenship and they would qualify for Medicaid (depending on income).