Can I add my wife to my Health insurance plan

[some81 3]

Hi,

My wife came around 10 days ago with CR1 visa, she already got her SSN and I want to add her to my health insurance plan.

But my employer is telling me that I can't add my wife to my health insurance plan, but I am not sure about that.

Can anyone give me hands up, how exactly this process should work?

Thank you.

[Anvi 5]

I added my husband right after we married and/ got his SS Card ( We still waiting for Green card). I don't know which company you work for. Go get your Health insurance or Insurance booklet from your work and see what is the rules and regulation in order to add your spouse. 99% of the companies let people to add their spouse and kids. I hope you can too.

Hi,

My wife came around 10 days ago with CR1 visa, she already got her SSN and I want to add her to my health insurance plan.

But my employer is telling me that I can't add my wife to my health insurance plan, but I am not sure about that.

Can anyone give me hands up, how exactly this process should work?

Thank you.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Anvi

[Jon and Krissy 452]

Hi,

My wife came around 10 days ago with CR1 visa, she already got her SSN and I want to add her to my health insurance plan.

But my employer is telling me that I can't add my wife to my health insurance plan, but I am not sure about that.

Can anyone give me hands up, how exactly this process should work?

Thank you.

Marriage is considered a qualifying event. As I understand it, by law, they have to allow you to add her.

[ATPEACE 43]

Hi,

My wife came around 10 days ago with CR1 visa, she already got her SSN and I want to add her to my health insurance plan.

But my employer is telling me that I can't add my wife to my health insurance plan, but I am not sure about that.

Can anyone give me hands up, how exactly this process should work?

Thank you.

What was the reason that was given as to why you couldn't add a new spouse. A spouse is a life change event, so what is their reason.

[belinda63 3,038]

It usually has to be done within 30 days of the life-changing event. Although you probably couldn't have added her when you married as she was not here, that would have been the time to do it. Perhaps a call to the insurance company and explaining this will yield results. But technically, the answer is no.

[Dave&Roza 748]

Hi,

My wife came around 10 days ago with CR1 visa, she already got her SSN and I want to add her to my health insurance plan.

But my employer is telling me that I can't add my wife to my health insurance plan, but I am not sure about that.

Can anyone give me hands up, how exactly this process should work?

Thank you.

Typically employers have a window for making changes to your benefits. My employer calls it "open enrollment" and it is usually in October/November. There are live changing events like the birth of a child, marriage, divorce, etc., where you have 30 days to make the change. You should have added your spouse to your benefits when you got married--yes, she was not in the US, but then she would be covered now-- not when she arrived in the US. Now you will have to wait for the time period where you can make changes. Your situation is like two spouses working and one suddenly looses their job and now you want to cover them under the other spouse's health care. You may or may not be able to do this immediately--that is dependent on YOUR employer.

Good luck,

Dave

Edited February 27, 2014 by Dave&Roza

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Immigration is also a qualifying event. Talk to higher-ups and don't take no for an answer. Good luck.

[some81 3]

I added my husband right after we married and/ got his SS Card ( We still waiting for Green card). I don't know which company you work for. Go get your Health insurance or Insurance booklet from your work and see what is the rules and regulation in order to add your spouse. 99% of the companies let people to add their spouse and kids. I hope you can too.

We still waiting for GC come as well.

I just spoke with HR on the phone and she said that I have to fill out some forms with a copy for my wife's SSN and marrage certificate.

[ATPEACE 43]

So your post was a premature post,

[some81 3]

Typically employers have a window for making changes to your benefits. My employer calls it "open enrollment" and it is usually in October/November. There are live changing events like the birth of a child, marriage, divorce, etc., where you have 30 days to make the change. You should have added your spouse to your benefits when you got married--yes, she was not in the US, but then she would be covered now-- not when she arrived in the US. Now you will have to wait for the time period where you can make changes. Your situation is like two spouses working and one suddenly looses their job and now you want to cover them under the other spouse's health care. You may or may not be able to do this immediately--that is dependent on YOUR employer.

Good luck,

Dave

I can't add my wife when we got married, we did that a year ago oversees.

Even didn't have SSN.

You can't add somebody without SSN.

[novedsac 355]

The answers you seek will be found in the Summary Plan Description for your employee benefits. This document, required by law to be current and available to employees, explains all the details about employee benefits, such as health care, retirement, paid time off, etc. I would read through the relevant section(s) first and then ask more specific questions to HR.

IRS determines eligibility for enrollment outside of the open enrollment period (qualifying events, time limitations, etc.) Employers decide how generous their coverage will be and determine any waiting periods before coverage becomes effective.

Companies are also not required to provide health coverage to an employee's dependents, though many of them do. Companies can also require that if your spouse has coverage available at their place of employment, that they take that coverage instead. Again, this will all be spelled out in the Summary Plan Description for your company. Each company is different, so many of the answers you find here may not be relevant to the particulars of your situation.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I can't add my wife when we got married, we did that a year ago oversees.

Even didn't have SSN.

You can't add somebody without SSN.

No, that's not true. People without SSN can be on insurance. Babies aren't born with SSNs and I assure you they are on insurance they instant they are born.

[some81 3]

No, that's not true. People without SSN can be on insurance. Babies aren't born with SSNs and I assure you they are on insurance they instant they are born.

However, I'll not get an insurance for a person who probably will come after an year or so.

Now she is here and I need an insurance now.

However, I already got the papers from my HR department.

Thank you all for you help,

I'll keep you posted what's happening.

Edited February 27, 2014 by some81

[etrangais 947]

you only can add family members to the insurance health plan in two occasions:

- life event: birth of a child or marriage: you have 30 days from that date to do so

- during the enrollment period in November.

you could've added your wife to your plan even if she did not have a SSN.

your employer is right: IT IS TOO LATE NOW and you have to wait until the enrollment period opens in November 2014 for year 2015.

I made that mistake before.

[ATPEACE 43]

Harpa, babies are not on insurance as a dependent the moment they are born, a newborn is covered under his or her mothers name up to 30 days after birth if they are sick. After 30 days a child must be enrolled under their own name. Most babies born in the USA are registered for a SS number before they leave the hospital. Home births have the same option to register for a SS number.

These are the Business Rules that most insurance operate under.

Again, most insurance will not add a spouse if they are not register as a legal alien in the US, but there are some insurance companies that have different Business Rules for their employees.