New Healthcare Requirements for US Immigrants

[Lemonslice 4,922]

50 minutes ago, SaeedA said:

It probably won't be that bad if I can add by wife to my employer sponsored plan (no SS) come open enrollment period. However, I'd be in a pickle if they don't allow me to add her without a SS number.

 

Immigration is not a qualifying life event for adding someone to your insurance https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/qualifying-life-event/

 

I think they ought to fix that before making such changes. However, the government isn't known for making logical decisions.

It is often a loss of coverage for the immigrant spouse (colleagues simply printed quote from their home country website saying  how moving caused the loss of coverage  "... Bla bla... to be eligible, one must be a resident...." 

[s.ramos510 14]

15 hours ago, little immigrant said:

I'll make sure to put my step-son on my insurance as soon as the enrollment period is open. I would have done this anyways. I don't know why this is news. 

Most insurance company allow you add someone outside of enrollment period if a significant life event has occurred. You may qualify to do it upon the beneficiary arrival. Talk to your employer if is through work or call your provider. 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

7 minutes ago, SaeedA said:

 

That's wonderful news. Did you have to do anything special?

It’s very clearly stated on healthcare.gov actually 

https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-open-enrollment/special-enrollment-period/

Changes in residence

Household moves that qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period:

• Moving to a new home in a new ZIP code or county
• Moving to the U.S. from a foreign country or United States territory
• If you're a student, moving to or from the place you attend school
• If you're a seasonal worker, moving to or from the place you both live and work
• Moving to or from a shelter or other transitional housing

[Fogi 91]

I saw this headline in my news feed and immediately freaked out. Another expense. I'll have to purchase a placeholder policy until we're married and can move her to mine. Then I remembered K1 is non-immigrant. 

 

There needs to be a way to make health care more affordable. Some bright insurance company is going to roll out an affordable immigration policy with a high deductible. Bills will go unpaid by some, nothing will change, premiums and deductibles will rise for everyone. Until there is universal healthcare, this is the reality. That is the only resolution.

[geowrian 22,337]

The list of qualifying events varies from provider to provider. That said, there is a minimum set of events necessary to be an ACA-compliant plan.

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

Just now, Fogi said:

I saw this headline in my news feed and immediately freaked out. Another expense. I'll have to purchase a placeholder policy until we're married and can move her to mine. Then I remembered K1 is non-immigrant. 

 

 

I’m curious, were you just planning on her being uninsured until marriage originally?

[afrocraft 314]

10 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

This was before a cancer diagnosis could easily cost one million dollars to treat.  And a time when immigrants who got sick were much more likely to die.  The world has changed, and health care should be a right, not a luxury.  

I agree. Health care should be a right. That means all people have that right: Let immigrants get health care the way we get care. Simple.

[SalishSea 17,980]

Just now, afrocraft said:

I agree. Health care should be a right. That means all people have that right: Let immigrants get health care the way we get care. Simple.

My immigrant husband has health care because as his sponsor, I was able to add him to my workplace policy.  It was part of our overall planning to bring him over here.  Just like we have had to plan for him to be able to retire in a country in which he hasn't paid into the retirement system.  And as his petitioner and wife, I am responsible for making sure these needs are met.  

 

It should be part of the public charge consideration.  Health care is a basic need, just like food and shelter.  When I signed the I-864, I signed on to be responsible for these things.

[Mr and Mrs S 207]

11 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

It is often a loss of coverage for the immigrant spouse (colleagues simply printed quote from their home country website saying  how moving caused the loss of coverage  "... Bla bla... to be eligible, one must be a resident...." 

 

That's if the immigrant spouse had insurance in their home country.

[HRQX 4,145]

21 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

We’ve already seen some reports of IR5 sponsors having to show evidence of what health insurance will cost and how they will pay for it, I’d expect that to become more the norm, especially for retired and chronically ill parents.

Exactly; you proved my point. A significant amount of IR-5 aliens give COs INA 214(a)(4)(B) concerns.

[nosleep 130]

I'm all for following the rules as long as they are consistent, but this seems to be another example of making it harder for people who take the path of legal and legitimate immigration.  At the same time the government seems to ignore the problem of illegal immigration which is also a costly liability in terms of healthcare.

 

 

 

[Crazy Cat 41,985]

1 minute ago, nosleep said:

At the same time the government seems to ignore the problem of illegal immigration which is also a costly liability in terms of healthcare.

Ignoring illegal immigration?   What makes you think that?

[Fogi 91]

2 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

I’m curious, were you just planning on her being uninsured until marriage originally?

Kind of....She has international insurance through her provider we plan to enable before she departs. But it only covers catastrophes. I don't have the policy in front of me, but i do know it's very limited. I guess we're getting married day 1. Luckily I live in a place where we can do it in one day. 

[afrocraft 314]

11 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

lt should be part of the public charge consideration.

I agree. My only point is that we, nation of immigrants, should treat immigrants no different than we do ourselves. Give them access to the healthcare that we have. 

 

What the administration is doing is different. They're saying that immigrants must have healthcare coverage (which is fine) but they can't even buy it on the healthcare exchange like we all can. What's next -- barring immigrants from using the emergency room?

Edited October 5, 2019 by afrocraft

[nosleep 130]

3 minutes ago, missileman said:

Ignoring illegal immigration?   What makes you think that?

 

Yes, it seems they aren't doing as much as they should to stop the waves of people crossing the borders in any meaningful way.  Then again, maybe I shouldn't be giving that much credit to our news outlets.  

Edited October 5, 2019 by nosleep