My Wife's Son Arrives!

[james&olya 1,121]

The problem is his son isn't an illegal.

But it seems as if he will have time to resolve the dilemma when his son returns back to the USA. In the mean time, one month here will probably result in illness from food rather than some real problem.

The odds are in his favor at his age if you want to roll the dice. But accidents happen, illnesses strike without warning even to previously healthy young adults. Would you want to face what I went through 3 years ago when my teen-age son abruptly developed leukemia? If we did not already have insurance he would have been un-insurable! We would have lost our home and vehicles and a significant part of all my future income to pay for his care! I would certainly not have been able to afford the expenses of these K-1 and K-2 visas! It is not too likely to happen to you. But if it does you face financial ruin!

[sea-monkey 13]

It is dishonest and dishonorable to avail yourself of services and then not pay your bill!! It is no different whether it is health care, car repairs, groceries or a new stereo, not paying is equal to theft! If you are truly indigent then maybe you have no choice, otherwise it is crooked!

Whoa whoa! I never said to do anything illegal

"Undocumented persons" have clinics, agencies and even county services that they can go to when they're sick. It's free of charge if you don't have the means to pay. They're not doing anything illegal other than being in the country, but thats a different story.

[slim 1,514]

It is dishonest and dishonorable to avail yourself of services and then not pay your bill!!

Tell that to the 42,000,000+ americans on welfare.

if it does you face financial ruin!

You mean, "if it does, HE faces financial ruin?"

[james&olya 1,121]

Whoa whoa! I never said to do anything illegal

"Undocumented persons" have clinics, agencies and even county services that they can go to when they're sick. It's free of charge if you don't have the means to pay. They're not doing anything illegal other than being in the country, but thats a different story.

None of those within many hundreds of miles where I live! And it might not be as easy to get those services elsewhere as some people might think!

[james&olya 1,121]

Tell that to the 42,000,000+ americans on welfare.

You mean, "if it does, HE faces financial ruin?"

Welfare is a legal and tax funded program! You and I may not always like it but it exists to benefit certain disadvantaged individuals.

I assumed he would be a loving and responsible parent and do everything he could on behalf of his family!

[slim 1,514]

Welfare is a legal and tax funded program! You and I may not always like it but it exists to benefit certain disadvantaged individuals.

At one time, sure. Perhaps it was to help disadvantaged individuals. But, nowadays, it's for nothing more than increasing voters of a certain party.

I assumed he would be a loving and responsible parent and do everything he could on behalf of his family!

Shouldn't a 21 y/o be responsible for himself?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

####### ...do you people get sick all the time or something? I can remember plenty of times I didn't have health insurance and I survived.

Why is it that peeps from back east always P*ss their pants if they think they might lose insurance for a month or two? It's like you peeps live like a bunch of Goldstiens saving for your retirement so you can move on down to a gated community in snake infested Florida, or you peeps never move out of the county you were born in all the while watching the fat corn fed chicks devour walmart. When I was in PA visiting I noticed generation after generation living in the same county and inbreeding like there was no tomorrow.

The kids 21...which is still young, he's coming to a new country and he doesn't speak the language. The guy's going to need support until he gets on his feet...which knowing RUB peeps, this guy is most likely one h*ll of a worker and will do just fine. It's just going to take a bit of time is all.

[1HappyGuy 45]

Shouldn't a 21 y/o be responsible for himself?

That is a good point. As a legal adult, he would be responsible for any debts he incurs, including medical costs. There are lots of programs to help people with little or no income deal with medical expenses. The so called non-profit hospitals have programs to forgive medical care costs and a lot more have discount programs. Since we are talking about legal means, why not discuss the legal way to get rid of all the medical costs. BANKRUPTCY!

I have a bankruptcy attorney next door to me. He said that the vast majority of his business is people struggling to pay medical costs, especially after a hospital stay.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

That is a good point. As a legal adult, he would be responsible for any debts he incurs, including medical costs. There are lots of programs to help people with little or no income deal with medical expenses. The so called non-profit hospitals have programs to forgive medical care costs and a lot more have discount programs. Since we are talking about legal means, why not discuss the legal way to get rid of all the medical costs. BANKRUPTCY!

I have a bankruptcy attorney next door to me. He said that the vast majority of his business is people struggling to pay medical costs, especially after a hospital stay.

The guy's going to eventually get a job and with that comes medical insurance.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Don't worry about it if he's only staying for a month.

When he comes back, he can figure it out for himself. He's a big boy, right?

I'd say at 21, he probably doesn't even need it. But, if he's sickly or prone to accidents, a full-time job wouldn't hurt and if he goes to school he can be covered through schools. They always have a discount program of some sort.

If none of that works... Uncle Sam is always hiring!

Good suggestions. Even though Sergey is covered by our medical care, we pay $100 per school YEAR for full coverage in Russia, and only because he is Ukrainian, if he were Russian, it would be free.

We keep him covered by our policy by his being a student. We have the "family coverage" anyway

As far as a 21 year old being on his own, yes he certainly could be and SHOULD be if he is not going to school. Some reasonable accomodation could and SHOULD be made for a new immigrant if he is working at finding a job, etc. But I have no problem with supporting him for normal life needs if they are students. I do not pay for his "fun" and he has a summer job for that. He deposited his money from woring and when it runs out the fun is over unless he earns more. Sergey picked up a few bucks tutoring other students last year.

WE have decided to make the education of our children a priority which means WE will do without some luxuries or fun until it is paid for and there are no student loans involved. While Sergey got a "free ride" now, it really is not completely free and we still have to pay for some incidentals and life expenses. It is a very good education for very cheap, but still not "cheap", especially when it involves international travel, etc.

There are some options available to VV that do not involve stiffing the local hospitals as if he were an illegal

Edited September 6, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[ONA 133]

visaveteran1, just came by to say congrats on your wife's son's arrival! Wish him luck and quick and easy adaptation!

[slim 1,514]

There are lots of programs to help people with little or no income deal with medical expenses. The so called non-profit hospitals have programs to forgive medical care costs and a lot more have discount programs.

Most doctors and clinics nowadays would rather take cash patients anyway. They're as fed up with the insurance scams as we are. If a young man needs to go to the doctor, he should just call the office and discuss cash or payment options.

There's really no reason for a man in his early 20s to go to the doctor anyway. Part of the problem with our medical system is we're so encouraged to go to the doctor and get medication for every little tickle in our throat or rumble in our stomach that we forget almost every sickness out there goes away within a few days - even with no medication.

The only real reason for a young man to have insurance is catastrophic accidents and in that case, it's unlikely insurance would cover well enough anyway. Most young people don't have $5,000 laying around. A broken leg or arm or something to that effect would bankrupt them so they're better off just discussing repayment options with the surgeons/hospitals involved. Most will settle for 25% or even less, especially with cash repayment options.

Since we are talking about legal means, why not discuss the legal way to get rid of all the medical costs. BANKRUPTCY!

The last thing a young man should do is declare bankruptcy. They know he has to potential to work and pay them back. Payment options will almost always be accepted. "I can pay you $100/month." will always beat, "Yeah, I'm bankrupt. Suck it, b!tches."

Good suggestions.

I've been doing it since I got out of the military. My wife doesn't have insurance either.

Edited September 7, 2011 by slim

[eekee 182]

Filing bankruptcy isn't cheap, either. It'd cost you as much as a few years of insurance.

I wouldn't worry about it until he's in the US full-time, though. He doesn't really need to be on your insurance if he's only here for a month. He could always buy traveller's insurance in Russia for when he visits.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

visaveteran1, just came by to say congrats on your wife's son's arrival! Wish him luck and quick and easy adaptation!

How's the married life treating ya ONA?