What are people doing about medical insurance?

[wherezdabearz 0]

If all goes well with my interview tomorrow (fingers crossed!), I'm entering the States next week with my K1 visa. As I'm not going on holiday, I'm assuming that my usual Boots holiday travel insurance plan will no longer be valid. But I won't be married either, so I don't think John can add me to his health insurance.

I was wondering what other people were doing?

Thanks for your help

Alison

[Miranda&James 8]

Good question, im interested in this too.

[aussie angel 0]

http://www.buyamericaninsurance.com/newimmigrant.jsp this is one i found hope it works or just do a google search for immigrant medical insurance. i was ging to use a tourist medical plan which i have always used but part of it states that if i was to get sick the company would weigh the costs and if it was cheaper to fly me back to my country as aposed to staying in amercia they would do that and that wouldnt work being on a k1 hope this helps

angela

[TracyTN 237]

Your soon to be hubby *should* be able to add you to his insurance as soon as you are married. Its called a 'qualifying event'.

But yes, until then, I agree that you will want some kind of coverage (esp. if you have a long-ish wait before your wedding).

[wherezdabearz 0]

Thanks. I'll check out that site

Alison

[Keigwyn 1]

I'll keep a note of that site!. Thanks

[ladybutterfly 0]

I have been here nearly 5 months now and so far havent done anything about medical insurance .... just keep hoping to stay healthy!

[HuffyTheSlayer 22]

I have been here nearly 5 months now and so far havent done anything about medical insurance .... just keep hoping to stay healthy!

Ditto!

[techgirl 0]

Just found a link specifically talking about insurance for fiancee/e visas:

Fiance Visa Medical Insurance

I googled - fiance visa and medical insurance

~Techie

[BruceH 0]

I am in the medical insurance industry as an executive and also have just brought my fiancee here from Brazil. There are many products available on a short term basis which cover you for a period of time from just a few days to a few years. These can be effective programs and can be cost efficient. The product which is referred to in one of the posts above is just one of such programs. I am neither endorsing that program or disparaging it. It is just typical of the many available. To search for others to compare use the search terms "short term medical insurance" and you should find many.

These programs are usually issued without regard to prior health conditions. HOWEVER, IT IS IMPERATIVE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THEY DO NOT COVER ANY ILLNESS OR OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEM WHICH PRE-EXISTED THE APPLICATION DATE!!!! So if you have any problem which predated your application IT WILL NOT BE COVERED!!!!

You may or may not know that the health insurance laws and provisions vary greatly from state to state in this country so what may be true in one state may NOT be true in another.

As a general rule, THE BEST THING FOR YOU TO DO IS TO OBTAIN COVERAGE UNDER THE GROUP INSURANCE PLAN OF YOUR FIANCEE ONCE YOU ARE MARRIED IF THEY HAVE ONE. Policies vary from plan to plan regarding the effective date of a new dependent - YOU, but GENERALLY you will be covered as of the effective date of your marriage as long as your covered spouse adds you to their group insurance plan within 30 days of your marriage. IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS BEST TO GET YOUR MEDICAL COVERAGE THIS WAY!

For example, even though my fiancee and I plan to marry in the church as soon as we can arrange it, we will have a simple civil ceremony in which we will be legally married next week. THE SOLE REASON TO MARRY QUICKLY (besides the fact that we love each other and also to begin the AOS process) is to make her IMMEDIATELY covered under my group insurance plan.

As many of you know and for those of you who do not, the United States is NOT a place to be without health insurance! For those of you who do not have it, GET IT!!!! I I don't care how young you are or how healthy you think you are....Getting health insurance AFTER you have a problem is VIRTUALLY impossible!!!

Bruce

[john_and_marlene 162]

Luckily, I am retired from the military and already had family coverage(me and my children) with TRICARE ($460/year). Adding Marlene to this coverage after we were married was easy to do and was no additional cost.

One note about TRICARE though--Marlene didn't have a SSN at first and they will suspend coverage after 90 days if you don't get a SSN.

[Yodrak 7]

Alison,

Counting on good health and good luck.

Yodrak

If all goes well with my interview tomorrow (fingers crossed!), I'm entering the States next week with my K1 visa. As I'm not going on holiday, I'm assuming that my usual Boots holiday travel insurance plan will no longer be valid. But I won't be married either, so I don't think John can add me to his health insurance.

I was wondering what other people were doing?

Thanks for your help

Alison

[Miranda&James 8]

Yeah, James should be wondering as I'm a student and am covered by my parents but once we get married this is gone, so we're both uncovered. I hear buying it yourself is very expensive as well.....I sure hope James gets a good job!

[Estella76 0]

I just bought a policy from here

http://www.expatriate-insurance.com/

Though I think they are all the same and carry the same plans and companies.

My suggestion is to call them because it says it takes 24 hours to get a free quote but it took more like two weeks. In the meantime I called and was givein one option by one associate. In the email I was given another, so it was very confusing.

I did a basic Immigrant Package, three months for $195. All we needed was basic hospitalization for an emergency.

I think that the USC spouse can also be added to this policy if they don't have insurance either, for an extra premium and they can carry this for two years. I suggest you call and look into that Miranda, until James gets insurance from his future job.

[Miranda&James 8]

I just bought a policy from here

http://www.expatriate-insurance.com/

Though I think they are all the same and carry the same plans and companies.

My suggestion is to call them because it says it takes 24 hours to get a free quote but it took more like two weeks. In the meantime I called and was givein one option by one associate. In the email I was given another, so it was very confusing.

I did a basic Immigrant Package, three months for $195. All we needed was basic hospitalization for an emergency.

I think that the USC spouse can also be added to this policy if they don't have insurance either, for an extra premium and they can carry this for two years. I suggest you call and look into that Miranda, until James gets insurance from his future job.

Thanks, will do!