Health Insurance for new Immigrant

[sukhi4498 1]

Hi folks,

My wife came here in June as an immigrant. She doesn't have any job till now. Can somebody edify me if she will be eligible for Obama care as new enrollment will be starting on November 15th. I can't add her name to my insurance. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[JohnR! 5,495]

You should be able to add her to your insurance during the next enrollment period.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

https://www.healthcare.gov/immigrants/immigration-status/

[Ian H. 207]

Hi,

As an LPR she is eligible for coverage under the exchange, what she wouldn't be eligible for is medicaid unless Maryland gives coverage to new LPR's. Also she doesn't have to wait for the open enrollment to apply for coverage in the exchange, she can do so now since becoming an LPR qualifies as a "major life event."

Here is a link with the MD health exchange.

http://www.marylandhealthconnection.gov

[sukhi4498 1]

Thanks ian and everyone just want to know if my spouse will b eligible for Obama care which will start on Nov 15

[Ian H. 207]

Yes. As an LPR she will be eligible for coverage which I said before. Applying through the health exchange is applying for Obamacare, it's not a different thing.

[sukhi4498 1]

Thanks a lot ian I have one more question is it true that for obamacare one has to b a resident of USA for 5 years and new immigrant can't have Obama care thanks in adnavce

[Ian H. 207]

No, it's not true. As soon as your wife enters the US as an LPR, she is eligible for Obamacare. What she wouldn't be eligible for is medicaid, depending on the state.

[Ian H. 207]

ObamaCare Special Enrollment Period

A special enrollment period is a time outside of the open enrollment period when you and your family can sign up for health insurance. You may qualify for a special enrollment period of 60 days following certain life events that involve a change in family status (for example, marriage or birth of a child) or loss of other health coverage.

If you don’t have a special enrollment period, you can’t buy insurance inside or outside the Marketplaceuntil the next open enrollment period. Job-based plans generally allow special enrollment periods of 30 days.

The following life events will generally qualify you for a special enrollment period.

• You signed up for the marketplace, but were unable to complete the enrollment process for any reason (until mid-April 2014).
• Getting married.
• Having, adopting, or placement of a child.
• Permanently moving to a new area that offers different health plan options.
• Losing other health coverage (for example due to a job loss, divorce, loss of eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP, expiration of COBRA coverage, or a health plan being decertified). Note: Voluntarily quitting other health coverage or being terminated for not paying your premiums are not considered loss of coverage. Losing coverage that is not minimum essential coverage is also not considered loss of coverage.)
• For people already enrolled in Marketplace coverage, having a change in income or household status that affects eligibility for tax credits or cost-sharing reductions.
• An individual, who was not previously a citizen, national, or lawfully present individual gains such status.
• A qualified individual's enrollment or non-enrollment in a QHP is unintentional, inadvertent, or erroneous and is the result of the error, misrepresentation, or inaction of an officer, employee, or agent of the Exchange or HHS, or its instrumentalities as evaluated and determined by the Exchange.
• An enrollee adequately demonstrates to the Exchange that the QHP in which he or she is enrolled substantially violated a material provision of its contract in relation to the enrollee.
• An individual is determined newly eligible or newly ineligible for advance payments of the premium tax credit or has a change in eligibility for cost-sharing reductions, regardless of whether such individual is already enrolled in a QHP. The Exchange must permit individuals whose existing coverage through an eligible employer-sponsored plan will no longer be affordable or provide minimum value for his or her employer's upcoming plan year to access this special enrollmentperiod prior to the end of his or her coverage through such eligible employer-sponsored plan.
• An Indian, as defined by section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, may enroll in a QHP or change from one QHP to another one time per month.
• A qualified individual or enrollee demonstrates to the Exchange, in accordance with guidelines issued by HHS

Edited October 25, 2014 by Ian H.

[sukhi4498 1]

Thanks ian so that means my spouse will b eligible for Obama care next enrollment which will commence on nov 15 onwards correct me if I m wrong

[belinda63 3,038]

She will be eligible when she receives her green card because this is considered a "change in circumstances" But she only has 30 days after receiving her green card to enroll under this rule. Otherwise she has to wait for open enrollment and her coverage will not begin until January 1. Trust me, we just went through all this with the State of Kentucky. They tried to tell us he wasn't eligible for the ACA (Obamacare) until he had been an LPR for five years. It took me quoting the US regs and Kentucky regs to convince them otherwise.

Edited October 25, 2014 by belinda63

[Ian H. 207]

Like belinda said, an LPR is entitled to coverage. Your spouse will be able to qualify for coverage as an LPR.

[Darnell 8,478]

Thanks ian and everyone just want to know if my spouse will b eligible for Obama care which will start on Nov 15

there's a website with a phone number.

IMO, she should have called in JUNE and asked about it in JUNE, as

immigrating into USA is a 'life changing event' and as such, qualifies.

Now is October.

Regardless - tell her to CALL IN ! use a telephone !

[Darnell 8,478]

She will be eligible when she receives her green card because this is considered a "change in circumstances" But she only has 30 days after receiving her green card to enroll under this rule. Otherwise she has to wait for open enrollment and her coverage will not begin until January 1. Trust me, we just went through all this with the State of Kentucky. They tried to tell us he wasn't eligible for the ACA (Obamacare) until he had been an LPR for five years. It took me quoting the US regs and Kentucky regs to convince them otherwise.

is that right? green card arrival ?

not POE date ?

ouch .

[sukhi4498 1]

Thanks yes we called and they said new enrollment will start next month and I hope she will b eligible