How to get Health insurance quotes for my parents in their 70s

[2ndMessiah 184]

I have asked a similar question before but I am just throwing it out there again in the vague chance that anything has changed in the US Healthcare cant really called it a system, system.

Has anyone manged to get quotes from health insurance companies for anyone in their 70s or even over 65?

I have tried calling Anthem here in VA. They cant or dont want to help.

I cant sign them up in Healthcare.gov because they are not yet resident. (we want to be able to make sure we can get affordable healthcare before I start the ball rolling and they start to pack up shop in Northern Ireland).

They want to come to the US and be grand parents and see their grand children but understandably they are not wanting to leave unless they can get healthcare.

So anyone managed to get healthcare insurance for over 65 immigrants?

[belinda63 3,038]

After months of going in circles we have been told (although we haven't actually done it yet) that dad-in-law qualifies to obtain insurance through the exchange as of the date he became a resident since this was a change in circumstances. But because it took us months to find this out now they are saying he missed the opportunity and has to wait until January 1 for coverage. So yes, the ACA is required to provide them insurance through the exchanges but good luck explaining that to them. Although the main exchange may not give you much trouble, we went through the Kentucky Exchange and no one here seems to know what an immigrant or Legal Permanent Resident is.

[dhlunar 25]

I also did research on this matter. However, you have to know what you talking about and if possible due the enrollment in-person. I had one call center representative from the state health care exchange tell me that moving from another country is not consider a special case mid-year enrollment but moving from another state is. Knowing the agent was incorrect, I contacted the state agency by Facebook and got the response that I knew was correct... any move into this state IS acceptable for mid-year enrollment, and a change in immigration status, even a new immigrant counts as another case for a mid-year enrollment.

Edited October 14, 2014 by dhlunar

[Boiler 45,510]

Colorado allows you to get quotes on the Exchange. Roughly 500 to 1100.

The extent of the subsidy would be of significant interest. If any.

[2ndMessiah 184]

Colorado allows you to get quotes on the Exchange. Roughly 500 to 1100.

The extent of the subsidy would be of significant interest. If any.

I understand the ACA says that LPR's do get the subsidy and is not considered being a burden.

Healthcare.gov does allow for quotes but only up to the age of 64. I will go and see if that has changed.

[belinda63 3,038]

You might have to get it done manually. That is what we were told we would have to do, contact a "connector" and have them manually check the plans available and the costs for premiums. Then they would have to manually enter his choices. Seems no one was prepared for a 65+ person who isn't eligible for Medicare. Don't know how the healthcare.gov site works.

I do know calling the insurance agencies themselves we could find no one to insure someone 65+.

Edited cause I meant Medicare.

Edited October 14, 2014 by belinda63

[2ndMessiah 184]

After a quick read, it appears that now that the ACA is fully implemented, age, previous medical conditions etc are not a problem. But I will try and contact a REAL person and get them to run the numbers.

[Boiler 45,510]

Remember the insurance premium is just part of the issue. Also not sure how Ocare is set up to handle say long term care as that tends to be under other programs. On the face of it Ocare is better than Medicare but that can not be right.

[missads 59]

Please see my related post on this topic

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/582733-success-getting-healthcare-coverage-for-immigrant-parents-over-65/

For getting an online quote, you have to trick the system a bit (just for the quote, not the actual application itself.) For income, plug in a number just over the minimum threshold, so it doesn't go to Medicaid by default. For 2 parents, the income needs to be more than ~$21K. I used $22K and it showed me all the health insurance plans. Also, keep in mind that the premiums will be about $1K less than quoted, due to the tax subsidy, for people under the minimum income threshold.

Hope this helps!