My pregnant K-1 fiancee's i-94 expires in 17 days and she has no SSN to get health coverage

[Carpe Vinum 2,327]

7 hours ago, JFH said:

Getting married is a qualifying event that means she can be added to your health care plan even when we are not currently in an open enrollment period. Get her added as soon as you are married. 

 

7 hours ago, missileman said:

A SSN is not required for health care.....but you might have to fight to convince them......

I was able to do it without an SSN. Took some wrangling as most HR Departments don't deal with adding someone without a SSN. Don't know about ACA though...

[yuna628 9,671]

54 minutes ago, boris64 said:

 

I was able to do it without an SSN. Took some wrangling as most HR Departments don't deal with adding someone without a SSN. Don't know about ACA though...

The exchange is the same as everywhere else. The rules are the same. The only difference is, the soon-to-be-spouse will need to prove their legal presence (because illegal present persons are not offered coverage). The SSN won't help with that, but getting the AOS filed will so that she has proper documents to offer as proof.

 

Whereas when I signed my husband up for our private insurance, they did the proper thing and didn't ask bare minimum anything. No SSN. No status questions. Nothing but basic paperwork. 

 

In either of these scenarios, eventually they can ask for the SSN (but they cannot deny or revoke coverage for not providing it). You do not have to provide it. They can keep asking until blue in the face, and you still don't need to provide it. That's the law. Provider employees can and continue to not follow the correct policy (it's even in their own training manual), but that's an ignorance of the law problem and you've got to stand up and push back if and when it happens.

Edited November 11, 2019 by yuna628

[Sarah&Facundo 595]

You need to sign up with a health insurance on the exchange WITHIN 60 DAYS of marrying. Don't forget  

[HRQX 4,145]

10 hours ago, jaysaldi said:

Maybe tomorrow, it looks like the office might be open even though it's a holiday.

Yup; they are also open right now: https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/clerk/Pages/locations-and-hours.aspx

10 hours ago, jaysaldi said:

I've only been researching this a few minutes but I think we might be able to get the certificate in a day or two.

Depends on when the officiant submits the paperwork. It can be very fast:

23 hours ago, Loren Y said:

I am here, traveling right now, will be back in the US on the 25th of November. Can do the certificate in a few hours during the week pretty easily.

 

[jaysaldi 213]

31 minutes ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

You need to sign up with a health insurance on the exchange WITHIN 60 DAYS of marrying. Don't forget  

Thank you. We're getting married tomorrow. So if for some reason we don't have the NOA1 before open enrollment ends on December 15, I could sign up for myself by December 15 and add her before January 10?

 

Or do I also get until January 10 to sign up just by virtue of having gotten married on November 11? 

[billding 59]

5 hours ago, yuna628 said:

The exchange is the same as everywhere else. The rules are the same. The only difference is, the soon-to-be-spouse will need to prove their legal presence (because illegal present persons are not offered coverage). The SSN won't help with that, but getting the AOS filed will so that she has proper documents to offer as proof.

 

Whereas when I signed my husband up for our private insurance, they did the proper thing and didn't ask bare minimum anything. No SSN. No status questions.

 

5 hours ago, yuna628 said:

Nothing but basic paperwork. 

Insurance paperwork or the Noa1 for AOS?

 

I plan on adding my fiance to my employer provided health insurance and I'm trying to plan ahead, esp. with the SSN or no ssn issue

[AaronLV 12]

8 hours ago, jaysaldi said:

Ok thank you so much. I think what we are going to is get married tomorrow, in Las Vegas. Go to social security office Tuesday morning. There are several social security offices listed in Las Vegas can I go to any one? 

 

Also, what is the normal process and conversation at the SSA office (when people haven’t procrastinated and there are no verification errors)? 

 

I mean we go in, hand over her passport and I-94 form and ask for a SSN and do they just take it and say “we’ll get back to you” or is there normally some discussion or decision making or thumbs up or down right there on the spot? Is there a goal I should have in mind for some paperwork or receipt I want them to give me before leaving the office or some magic words or assurances I want them to say/agree to? 

 

And thanks so so much for the tip about not using her married name at SSA. I guess that complicates things? I’ll plan to adjust status with her married name but apply for the SS card with her maiden and update that later. Thanks 

That isn't going to work as you need to the Official marriage license for the SSN.  If you marry on Sunday, with the Monday holiday your best case is going to have the Official document ready by Wednesday, but I would guess more like Friday at the earliest.

 

You don't need the SSN for applying for health insurance although they will ask, just tell them it is pending.  However you need to apply right after you get married and before she goes out of status.   As then she MUST have legal status when applying.   If you don't apply before she goes out of status, then you will need to wait for the NOA1 from filing for AOS. 

 

Another important part of having an SSN is so you can file taxes and claim married.   If you don't have the SSN before you file you cannot use that deduction.    Found out the hard way, waited to file as I was due a refund, and then filed when she got her SSN, and 1 month later got hit with a tax bill and late fees  even though we had been married, she didn't have the SSN until after the filing date (noted on the IRS letter).   

[AaronLV 12]

34 minutes ago, killbill said:

 

Insurance paperwork or the Noa1 for AOS?

 

I plan on adding my fiance to my employer provided health insurance and I'm trying to plan ahead, esp. with the SSN or no ssn issue

You will have no problem adding to the insurance, you just let them know ssn is pending.   

[jaysaldi 213]

11 minutes ago, AaronLV said:

That isn't going to work as you need to the Official marriage license for the SSN. 

Why would she need a marriage license for the SSN if there's no name change and she applies under her maiden name? 

[HRQX 4,145]

12 minutes ago, AaronLV said:

she didn't have the SSN until after the filing date (noted on the IRS letter).   

I assume you didn't request an extension before the due date: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/social-security-number-and-claiming-eitc

[jaysaldi 213]

15 hours ago, yuna628 said:

 

Secondly, and I often have to scream this at the top of my lungs - an SSN is NOT required to obtain health insurance BY LAW. It doesn't matter what you think you read. It doesn't matter what someone randomly told you on the phone. It doesn't matter what was heard through the grapevine. It doesn't matter if an insurance agent on the phone told you with an attitude. IT'S NOT REQUIRED. Get the insurance sorted out as quickly as possible.

 

 

I was looking at the Nevada exchange website today and you are of course correct, it specifically has options for "no social security number" and then  options to indicate what document your status falls under like I-797. So that is a relief. Getting married tomorrow and send in AoS by end of week so hopefully will have I-797 before open enrollment ends for 2020.

[Redheadguy03 505]

You don't need a ssn for health insurance. My employer tried to say I did for my son after he was born. I ended up doing my insurance through the website and it didn't require it. Our official website knew the law, but hr didn't. Go figure. 

[NicoleS 189]

We got married on Day 75. The priest gave us our signed married licence day of ceremony and we took it personally to the courthouse the next day and they gave us the certified copies on the spot. There's no need to wait for weeks for something that takes 5 minutes.

[ADW & JOP 146]

17 minutes ago, NicoleM said:

We got married on Day 75. The priest gave us our signed married licence day of ceremony and we took it personally to the courthouse the next day and they gave us the certified copies on the spot. There's no need to wait for weeks for something that takes 5 minutes.

I think that is site specific. I got married at the San Diego city hall, less than 10 feet away from where they provided us with the certified copy 1-2 weeks later.

[jaysaldi 213]

1 hour ago, NicoleM said:

We got married on Day 75. The priest gave us our signed married licence day of ceremony and we took it personally to the courthouse the next day and they gave us the certified copies on the spot. There's no need to wait for weeks for something that takes 5 minutes.

It seems this varies widely based on where you get married.   There are older threads about the process of getting certified copies taking 8+ weeks in Los Angeles County. Monroe County, Florida quotes three weeks.

 

I think some locales may have a backlog at the recorder's office, so if you send in or walk in your document to be recorded, it goes to into a queue behind the other waiting documents and it can take days or weeks to get recorded, with no way to expedite it.