Health insurance

[Mountain Climber 186]

healthcare is not cheap but .... try $1505 per month for healthy parents immigrating in their 60's, waiting 5 years for eligibility for Medicare.. it is one of the catches you need to be aware of otherwise it comes as a very nasty surprise...

New immigrants to USA are NOT eligible for benefits like Medicare. Regular residents of the U.S. (citizens, permanent residents, etc.) can get Medicare Part A if they have worked in the U.S. for at least 40 quarters (10 years for most people) and are above the age of 65.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

We pay around $338 a month for the both of us to have a silver plan. No subsidies because we make too much. Unfortunately, while the copay and coinsurance are $0 and 0% respectively, our deductible is $13,600 for the both of us ($6,800 each). Basically it's good for preventative care and if we get in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of trouble. Even then you might have to fight to get preventative care covered. My insurance company, for example, are refusing to pay for my IUD and ignored an appeal I sent in, so I reported them to the State. I'm still expecting to have to pay completely out of pocket for it. You'll feel like you may as well throw your money into a dumpster.

At least that mini rant made me feel a little better.

[wheresmykoala 52]

Everyone here is making really good points, so I won't regurgitate the same information. The only new thing that I can really add, is that depending on the work you and your S/O do here, certain companies have health insurance plans that can help lower the costs of what you pay for healthcare, so that might be something you want to look into. You can certainly risk not paying for it at all and deal with the tax penalty or any emergencies that may arise, but some companies really help lower the ridiculous healthcare costs. Plus, seeing as we have a new president coming into office early 2017, maybe there is a chance our countries current healthcare will be reformed to make prices a bit more affordable in the future. It's something to consider, although I wouldn't rely on the thought of affordable healthcare for all anytime soon.

[JimJesDuma 472]

Thanks to ObamaCare you are forced to have health insurance. You have NO choice. Now you Obama lovers out there don't get on me for this because it's true and it's Obama's legacy...

Obama care or technically the Affordable care act is actually a step in the right direction BUT it needs some major changes.

The fact you have no choice is NOT true. You can pay the penalty and have none but who wants to have NO medical insurance? Not me.

A simple trip to the ER for chest pain might cost me $100 co-pay but my insurance gets the Bill of $5,000.

Try paying $5K or more out of pocket.

To the original poster if someone has limited income then they qualify for free or reduced insurance cost.

The BEST thing about ACA or OBAMA CARE is that it covers PRE-existing conditions.

If you have no insurance but have cancer and decided to get insurance sorry charlie no one will cover you but now with ACA it's the law, your insurance provider must take care of you.

Outrageous Prescription costs is what really needs to be addressed and neither party seems to want to do this due to all the Pharmacy lobbyist in DC.

To Original Poster what country are you coming from that you think $286 is too much per month for insurance?

Your timeline is defaulted to Armenia.

Jim

[Cathi 5,748]

When My spouse passes his interview and we go to usa does he have to purchase health insurance until he is a citizen. 286 dollars monthly for 1 person is outrageous.

Compared to what others pay, that is not expensive. We pay $500 a month through my husband's work and we only pay 20% of the premium. That means our total premium is $2500 a month if you include the 80% his employers pay and then we have a $6000 a year deductible on top of that.

Edited December 2, 2016 by mimolicious

[Inikamoze 86]

For a monthly premium of $2,500 I'd expect the deductible to be zero!

Either you have a platinum plated plan which is all good for you or you are getting ripped off in my opinion.

For the person who comnented that the OP should reconsider moving here due to the high cost of insurance, not a nice response to give, cost of living is one factor that anyone looking to move will no doubt have considered (insurance alone isn't the only thing that costs $$$'s here).

Be mindful posting comments like that as it could be deemed to be upsetting to the OP and violate TOS.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Inikamoze

[TBoneTX 45,284]

A noncontributory post has been removed.

VJ Moderation

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

A noncontributory post has been removed.

VJ Moderation

I disagree with that.

For the person who comnented that the OP should reconsider moving here due to the high cost of insurance, not a nice response to give, cost of living is one factor that anyone looking to move will no doubt have considered (insurance alone isn't the only thing that costs $$$'s here).

Be mindful posting comments like that as it could be deemed to be upsetting to the OP and violate TOS.

OP seems angry already about the insurance issue, so it seems like a really valid suggestion to me. I have an aunt for years who would love to move to America and just adores it here but won't even consider it because she doesn't want to pay for private insurance. If there ever was a situation in which health insurance and health care were bankrupting us, I'd turn to my husband and say, we are moving to back to Europe.

I think it is a really valid concern and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. You being upset at my very pragmatic suggestion is your personal opinion on the issue and I'm allowed to have my own coming from a family of immigrants and having considered these things and done DCF myself. As I stated, one of my close relatives has made health insurance their primary reason for not moving, so yes, there are people who do this.

[Lemonslice 4,838]

On a positive note, some employers do pay in full the premiums for their employees and we've got great coverage (annual deductible is $300, or max $600 per family). It does exist (at least 25,000 employees and their family in our group).

[Inikamoze 86]

I disagree with that.

OP seems angry already about the insurance issue, so it seems like a really valid suggestion to me. I have an aunt for years who would love to move to America and just adores it here but won't even consider it because she doesn't want to pay for private insurance. If there ever was a situation in which health insurance and health care were bankrupting us, I'd turn to my husband and say, we are moving to back to Europe.

I think it is a really valid concern and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. You being upset at my very pragmatic suggestion is your personal opinion on the issue and I'm allowed to have my own coming from a family of immigrants and having considered these things and done DCF myself. As I stated, one of my close relatives has made health insurance their primary reason for not moving, so yes, there are people who do this.

You have decided that the OP is angry, how you can determine that from a few sentences makes you rather talented. There might be frustration, concern but all too many times people on here seem to psycho analyse posters state of mind rather than read the message. Am I writing this in a serene spa like experience with calming whale music playing in the background or am I agitated and spitting feathers at the response you gave? I'll leave it to you as you know more than I do.

You raise a point on determining factors of immigrating to the US as depending on your financial circumstances and where in the country you move to it can be very costly I agree. However if insurance premiums are the deciding factor alone on whether you move or not then has everything been taken into account? The proposed "better life"... weather, lifestyle, future opportunities for your children. You should come in eyes wide open which is why the OP has raised the question on premiums.

It's fortunate for you that you can up sticks and move to Europe, not everyone would have that option. If you make this your home then you need to take the rough with the smooth sometimes, you don't have to show loyalty to this nation if you don't wish to but if everyone had the attitude that once it gets tough it's best just to escape we would all be in a sorry state of affairs. Self preservation is of course a primary concern to the majority but at what cost?

Part of the reason for the ACÁ is to allow those less fortunate the ability to have some cover. To me it is the duty of those more fortunate to help their fellow man who did up in desperate situations due to insurance companies previously turning gurus backs on the very people who need the help.

This isn't meant to be any kind of political arguement either but a basic (make fun of that if you wish) view as to why we are all in it together.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Inikamoze