Medical insurance for CR1 visa immigrants

[mostarac 0]

Hello all,

My wife will be coming soon to USA with CR1 visa. My understanding is that she is not eligible to apply for SNAP benefits when she arrives to USA. I am employed full time, however I am not offered medical at my work. I am not worried about myself regarding medical, but my question is what is her way of getting any medical just to be on a safe side if she is not allowed to apply for SNAP benefits? My salary is not that great to afford to pay for medical. What is the alternative or her rights in USA regarding this?

[ppihtr123 68]

Rights? Really?

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

** Moving from Working during Immigration to Your New Life forum ****

Your best option is to take out either shot term insurance or Catastrophic health insurance (only pays for major accidents etc). Both can be got from private health insurance companies such as Kaiser, BCBS etc in your state. Your wife will have no rights to medicaid for many years, if that is what you are asking.

[milimelo 4,469]

I'd hope wife is already looking for a job so she can start interviewing as soon as she gets into the country. That's what I did as soon as I had my immigrant visa - sent out dozens of applications. 3 months after move I had a job with benefits.

[mostarac 0]

** Moving from Working during Immigration to Your New Life forum ****

Your best option is to take out either shot term insurance or Catastrophic health insurance (only pays for major accidents etc). Both can be got from private health insurance companies such as Kaiser, BCBS etc in your state. Your wife will have no rights to medicaid for many years, if that is what you are asking.

That's not really the answer I was looking for, because anybody can pay for a private insurance, the question was, what is the alternative.

Let's just say she gets pregnant. In US pregnant women can get medicare from state. But, since medicare is part of SNAP I believe she wouldn't be eligible for that.

Does anyone have experience with this?

Edited April 24, 2013 by mostarac

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

I am sorry you are not getting the answers you want, but essentially, there is no alternative. For the birth, she could get emergency medicaid (no laboring woman can be turned away by a public hospital), but would need to pay it back. I was in her shoes- I got pregnant without health insurance- we did self pay for both the prenatal care and the hospital. We got a substantial discount for paying ahead of time for all routiene care, and the whole thing cost about $10'000 from first appointment at 7 weeks through to 6 week post-partum appointment.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

It sounds like you can't provide for your family and want a free ride just because. Sorry. Your wife can get a job or you can get a better one. Next year it will be illegal to not have health insurance.

Part of sponsoring an alien is proving that you can support them and pay for them, and that includes insurance. The government and the taxpayer doesn't want people to come here and take public benefits. She cannot get them. Period.

If she gets pregnant and has a baby you'll also need health insurance for the baby.

[Merrytooth 5,748]

It sounds like you can't provide for your family and want a free ride just because. Sorry. Your wife can get a job or you can get a better one. Next year it will be illegal to not have health insurance.

Part of sponsoring an alien is proving that you can support them and pay for them, and that includes insurance. The government and the taxpayer doesn't want people to come here and take public benefits. She cannot get them. Period.

If she gets pregnant and has a baby you'll also need health insurance for the baby.

Well said

[mostarac 0]

It sounds like you can't provide for your family and want a free ride just because. Sorry. Your wife can get a job or you can get a better one. Next year it will be illegal to not have health insurance.

Part of sponsoring an alien is proving that you can support them and pay for them, and that includes insurance. The government and the taxpayer doesn't want people to come here and take public benefits. She cannot get them. Period.

If she gets pregnant and has a baby you'll also need health insurance for the baby.

Free ride? First time that I hear that anything is free in this country. Maybe for you, since you sound like a daddy's boy who got a job with daddy's reference as soon as you graduated from college!

Besides, read the title first before sounding so ignorant and "smart".

[Merrytooth 5,748]

Free ride? First time that I hear that anything is free in this country. Maybe for you, since you sound like a daddy's boy who got a job with daddy's reference as soon as you graduated from college!

Besides, read the title first before sounding so ignorant and "smart".

Maybe you should re-read the I-864 Affidavit of Support too.

[mostarac 0]

Maybe you should re-read the I-864 Affidavit of Support too.

And maybe you should LEARN to read in general. I meant WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE, OR EXPERIENCE with this sad reality of no medical insurance that millions of people in this country don't have.

[Merrytooth 5,748]

And maybe you should LEARN to read in general. I meant WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE, OR EXPERIENCE with this sad reality of no medical insurance that millions of people in this country don't have.

Seriously, I would stay home and live out my last days.

You signed the I-864 Affidavit of Support for your spouse/family. If you could not provide for them, including medical insurance (either through work or private), then you should not bring them over here.

It is harsh reality.

[dmd01708 3]

Hello all,

My wife will be coming soon to USA with CR1 visa. My understanding is that she is not eligible to apply for SNAP benefits when she arrives to USA. I am employed full time, however I am not offered medical at my work. I am not worried about myself regarding medical, but my question is what is her way of getting any medical just to be on a safe side if she is not allowed to apply for SNAP benefits? My salary is not that great to afford to pay for medical. What is the alternative or her rights in USA regarding this?

When I first moved here I didnt have medical insurance either and ended up in hospital with kidney stones (and a whacking great big bill) I got lucky and got a job with great benefits for my family (pay not so good but insurance is a must) I would suggest your wife starts looking for work as soon as her feet touch US soil. Your wife will need to have insurance next year it will be a requirement. Tell your wife to get her resume in order and to start sending it out to companies over here asap tell her to write on the cover letter that she is in the process of moving her and will be ready to work.

Good luck

[mostarac 0]

When I first moved here I didnt have medical insurance either and ended up in hospital with kidney stones (and a whacking great big bill) I got lucky and got a job with great benefits for my family (pay not so good but insurance is a must) I would suggest your wife starts looking for work as soon as her feet touch US soil. Your wife will need to have insurance next year it will be a requirement. Tell your wife to get her resume in order and to start sending it out to companies over here asap tell her to write on the cover letter that she is in the process of moving her and will be ready to work.

Good luck

Do you realize that at least 10% of working population in this country are unemployed? Do you realize that more than 50% of people who are working in this country DON'T HAVE MEDICAL insurance....sad reality. So, how do you expect from an immigrant to be that fortunate and small and lucky percentage of population in this country to find a company that will offer him/her a job with medical insurance?

I am employed full time and not offered a medical insurance at my company....and millions of Americans

The only bright side to this sad reality is Obamacare that should take in affect from January, EVERYBODY should be REQUIRED to have a medical insurance

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

My husband has no college education, finished school at 16, and then moved to America and had a job interview within 24 hours and working within 3 days. He makes over double the minimum wage. What is your spouse's excuse?

SNAP is food stamps and what you are speaking of is Medicaid. Many hospitals have sliding scale fees based on income and they are required to treat you regardless of your ability to pay. I'd look into it.