Applying for health insurance while pending AOS

[Jinotega 0]

I have been reading Visa Journey for over a year as we have been in this process of applying for K1 Visa. We are in the states now, and just got married last week and I am so frustrated trying to find health insurance for him. I was on the phone for an hour with Marketplace and they told me even though I had a change in status my husband is not eligible for special enrollment. I have a low income and have qualified for Medicaid, but I know that he is not eligible for Medicaid because of his immigration status. Does anyone have a recommendation for how I can get him health insurance if he cannot be on my health plan and marketplace does not accept him as eligible? Thank you to all the helpful people out there!

[yuna628 9,743]

I have been reading Visa Journey for over a year as we have been in this process of applying for K1 Visa. We are in the states now, and just got married last week and I am so frustrated trying to find health insurance for him. I was on the phone for an hour with Marketplace and they told me even though I had a change in status my husband is not eligible for special enrollment. I have a low income and have qualified for Medicaid, but I know that he is not eligible for Medicaid because of his immigration status. Does anyone have a recommendation for how I can get him health insurance if he cannot be on my health plan and marketplace does not accept him as eligible? Thank you to all the helpful people out there!

Your husband is eligible to use the federal marketplace if you have filed for Adjustment of Status, and he has received an NOA1. Not every person on the phone is aware of that, but the law is very clear. See the link in my signature. So file as soon as you possibly can, get your evidences together and apply. If you can't get answers on the phone keep trying, or request a supervisor. There are also charities and certified health care advisors that can assist if you need to see someone face to face.

Other options are of course to purchase health insurance privately. That is what I did for my husband, with no issues. An SSN is not usually required, but the federal marketplace may request it.

Or if you work (and it sounds like you don't have health insurance via employment) to add the spouse to a work insurance plan.

While you are eligible for Medicaid, as you have said he is not. This is not the same thing as obtaining insurance via the marketplace though, and as you know there will still be most likely a significant cost to purchase his insurance even through there.