ACA (Obamacare insurance) and the AOS contract

[jost143 0]

Hi, I have a question. Since my husband, whom I'm petitioning for, will be working with my dad who is self-employed, my husband will have to get insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Is he able to do this? Or does this qualify as being a charge to the government, a no-no on the AOS. Any help would be greatly appreciated and I apologize in advance if this was covered already or if this is the wrong place to ask this.

Thank you!

Jackie

[f&c 50]

The ACA is not welfare, but an exchange to purchase private health insurance, so he should be ok. Medicaid is another story though. Some people qualify for government subsidies to put toward the purchase of insurance in the exchanges, but I'm am unsure if that is considered as a government benefit.

Edited January 11, 2014 by f&c

[jost143 0]

Thank you f&c, much appreciated and great info to know. You took a load off my back because I was scared of violating the AOS.

Jackie

[TBoneTX 45,572]

Jackie, welcome to VJ! Not meaning to hijack your thread here (which has been answered nicely), but you're aware of your nearly mandatory presence at the eventual consular interview, right? Some reading:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/110313-us-consulate-in-guayaquil-ecuador/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/180306-guayaquil-consulate-administrative-process/

Inquire in the first thread above if you have concerns or questions. We'll help.

T-B.

Edited January 12, 2014 by TBoneTX

[f&c 50]

No problem, Jackie. Glad I could help. Good luck to you guys.

[slowlyman 118]

There is another thread on this. Can;t find it at the moment. We applied with no questions asked. Another poster stated they needed to produced proof of legal permanent resident status, when applying for insurance.

Additionally, if the non USC has a SSN & files a tax return in 2014 and does not have qualifying insurance, The IRS will asses a penalty which by default means the non USC can and should use the system.

Further, the affordable healthcare act is not an insurance program. The US government is not getting into the health insurance business. The federal & state exchanges are simply a portal connecting insurance sellers with insurance buyers. The contract is between you and the insurance underwriter. A person can purchase insurance directly from the provider, which is what we did.

[jost143 0]

Thanks slowlyman, I appreaciate that. I have been here in Ecuador since June 2012 so I unfortunately haven't been on top of the ACA. But all of this is great news! I really appreciate it.

[christeen 966]

Subsidies and expanded AMA based Medicaid are not considered means based assistance and are Allowed...

[LORIEandPHIL 123]

Without "Obama-care" I don't think we could have afforded to live in the USA, and would have moved to the UK, instead. We both have pre-existing conditions that made any form of healthcare insurance (if we could even get it) way to expensive. Part of the form is about your residence status, and if you are legally in this country you qualify. I have been here 3 months, and we qualified for financial help. Its a godsend to people like us.