Health Insurance While Filing for AOS, EAD and AP

[Abbey B 79]

17 hours ago, K1visaHopeful said:

That's kind of a funny topic, hey.

The "better" the employer, the more they offer in medical benefits for their employee but less likely to support that employee when experiencing a better quality of life (marriage, dependents).

The "more run of the mill" employer will still offer medical benefits for their employees and is willing to offer benefits to their employee's dependents at a good rate even though the brunt of the cost is still on the employee in terms as meeting their deductible. 

Kind of crazy.

It really is crazy..less likely to provide more benefits when that employee has better quality of life. 

 

And yup, they don't offer any 'spouse plan'. I would just be adding him as a dependent as they don't give special rates for 'bundling it'--just the same cost of a separate individual. 

[Mike E 11,742]

19 hours ago, Abbey B said:

What did you guys do? Did you go on your spouses employer plan? 

I added my fiancée to my employer’s plan as a domestic partner the day she arrived and upgraded her to a spouse after we married.  

 

Outside an employer plan, one needs to budget about $24,000 per year for individual health insurance.  $12K for the premiums and $12K for the deductible.  

 

Medicaid is 100 percent off the table for us. Even if my income qualified us, we signed documents promising not to be a public charge. Medicaid, HUD, etc are public charges. I believe going on Medicaid would prevent her from naturalizing.  

 

Importing a spouse into the USA is expensive. 

[Mrsjackson 300]

12 minutes ago, Mike E said:

I added my fiancée to my employer’s plan as a domestic partner the day she arrived and upgraded her to a spouse after we married.  

 

Outside an employer plan, one needs to budget about $24,000 per year for individual health insurance.  $12K for the premiums and $12K for the deductible.  

 

Medicaid is 100 percent off the table for us. Even if my income qualified us, we signed documents promising not to be a public charge. Medicaid, HUD, etc are public charges. I believe going on Medicaid would prevent her from naturalizing.  

 

Importing a spouse into the USA is expensive. 

Medicaid use, if you can get it, is not currently subject to public charge consideration. Most states will not allow an immigrant to enrol for five years, but it has nothing to do with being a public charge. Public charge currently means being primarily dependent on the government. 

[Boiler 46,141]

EAD does not get you Health Insurance

 

Allows you to apply for a job

 

Job may or nor come with Health Insurance and usually there is a wait period if it does.

[Mike E 11,742]

24 minutes ago, Mrsjackson said:

Medicaid use, if you can get it, is not currently subject to public charge consideration. Most states will not allow an immigrant to enrol for five years, but it has nothing to do with being a public charge. Public charge currently means being primarily dependent on the government. 

I respect your view. I’ve a different interpretation. 

Edited April 22, 2019 by Mike E

[Ed&Midori1031 330]

I'm very fortunate that I can afford healthcare (Tricare) for my family through the military.  I was able to add my wife and step-son immediately after we had gotten married.  I know the rising costs of healthcare for civilians, so I can't really compare nor complain, but I know a lot of good jobs do offer certain types of healthcare.  

[Umka36 781]

Cost sharing does vary greatly by employers. It's something to look at when looking for a job. I'm lucky, my family plan cost $106/month.

 

Public charge is not a factor once the immigrant gets the visa and is in the US. They only issue would be if the sponsor would have to repay the US government back for using any unallowable benefits.

[Mrsjackson 300]

19 minutes ago, Mike E said:

I respect your view. I’ve a different interpretation. 

It’s not a view. It’s just a fact. Ive linked you the USCIS public charge fact sheet. Scroll down to “Benefits Not Subject to Public Charge Consideration”. They understand there is confusion surrounding what it means to be a public charge and this clears things up. 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/news/fact-sheets/public-charge-fact-sheet

 

[usmsbow 802]

18 hours ago, K1visaHopeful said:

That's kind of a funny topic, hey.

The "better" the employer, the more they offer in medical benefits for their employee but less likely to support that employee when experiencing a better quality of life (marriage, dependents).

The "more run of the mill" employer will still offer medical benefits for their employees and is willing to offer benefits to their employee's dependents at a good rate even though the brunt of the cost is still on the employee in terms as meeting their deductible. 

Kind of crazy.

 

Yeah, that's been my wife and I's experience. I work in government, pay about 1/3 of the total premium. After I added my wife, premium doubled, but still wasn't too bad. If we have a kid, won't be any change either. Meanwhile my wife has worked for a variety of techs and start-ups. They have all offered her decent insurance at little cost to her ($100 or less/month), but if she wanted to include me, it would cost her an additional $700 (or more) a month. 

 

 

[Mike E 11,742]

30 minutes ago, Mrsjackson said:

It’s not a view. It’s just a fact. Ive linked you the USCIS public charge fact sheet. Scroll down to “Benefits Not Subject to Public Charge Consideration”. They understand there is confusion surrounding what it means to be a public charge and this clears things up. 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/news/fact-sheets/public-charge-fact-sheet

 

That link also says:

 

”In addition, public assistance, including Medicaid, that is used to support aliens who reside in an institution for long-term care – such as a nursing home or mental health institution – may also be considered as an adverse factor in the totality of the circumstances for purposes of public charge determinations”

 

We prefer to  stick with insurance plans with zero public charge traps. 

[Mrsjackson 300]

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

That link also says:

 

”In addition, public assistance, including Medicaid, that is used to support aliens who reside in an institution for long-term care – such as a nursing home or mental health institution – may also be considered as an adverse factor in the totality of the circumstances for purposes of public charge determinations”

 

We prefer to  stick with insurance plans with zero public charge traps. 

That’s okay, but important not to spread misinformation on here. Medicaid for long term institutionalized care would mean someone was primarily dependent on the government, and is not at all the same as recieving just regular Medicaid. 

 

There is a phenomenon called the “chilling effect”, which basically means immigrants sometimes pull out of or don’t enrol in programs they are eligible for and that would not impact their immigration status because they are confused about what public charge really means, and which benefits are okay vs not okay. On here we should strive to clarify these things. 

Edited April 22, 2019 by Mrsjackson