DS5540 health insurance

[Sal11 5]

2 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

I don’t know what to recommend to be honest, he has been quite reckless being uninsured. The best way to answer the question about getting insurance is to say you will be able to get onto your spouse’s insurance once you immigrate, but your spouse doesn’t have insurance. I’m sure if you do a search you will find discussions on how difficult it is to get/prove you will get insurance when you don’t even have a visa yet much less social security number, state residency etc. You will have to do that search separately, I certainly can’t give you an answer on that.

 

Are there any other financial issues that could be a problem for your petition by the way? The fact that your spouse doesn’t have insurance likely means he isn’t in a full time formal sector job (these typically have insurance as part of the benefits). Are all his tax returns up to date? 

He didn’t have job for some years. But he’s doing a good job since 2018, we have his tax papers for 2018 and 19. But not from other years. (Maybe that’s why he doesn’t have it)? Not sure. I heard about ACA? Don’t they pay penalty for not having an insurance being eligible? 

-also, can I get travelers insurance? For me? Does this works? In such cases? Or only private ones? As I don’t have SSN 

[geowrian 22,337]

26 minutes ago, Sal11 said:

also, can I get travelers insurance?

Traveler's insurance plans don't cover residents. They will generally only pay out for visitors who intend to return home abroad.

[Sal11 5]

35 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Traveler's insurance plans don't cover residents. They will generally only pay out for visitors who intend to return home abroad.

Oh so without SSN what can I do? Only private would work for me? 

[geowrian 22,337]

2 minutes ago, Sal11 said:

Oh so without SSN what can I do? Only private would work for me? 

My suggestion would be to look at healthcare.gov for a suitable plan you intend to get upon entry.

[Sal11 5]

Just now, geowrian said:

My suggestion would be to look at healthcare.gov for a suitable plan you intend to get upon entry.

As petitioner doesn’t have it, can I get it for me only? Or is there any way so we both can get it? Thanks for being so helpful 

[geowrian 22,337]

2 minutes ago, Sal11 said:

As petitioner doesn’t have it, can I get it for me only? Or is there any way so we both can get it? Thanks for being so helpful 

Yes. You can get it on your own under a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) due to a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). Namely, the change of residence to the US.

I'm not sure how it works for household members who normally would only qualify during open enrollment, sorry.

[Dxc 12]

Check out the patriot america plus plan from IMG.

[geowrian 22,337]

"Addresses the insurance needs of non-U.S. residents who need temporary medical insurance while traveling for business or pleasure to the United States."

"Short-term travel medical coverage"

"Eligibility

The following conditions apply to all persons applying for and/or enrolling in this plan:

This is travel medical insurance for non-U.S. residents traveling to the United States"

 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

1 hour ago, geowrian said:

Yes. You can get it on your own under a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) due to a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). Namely, the change of residence to the US.

I'm not sure how it works for household members who normally would only qualify during open enrollment, sorry.

The problem here, in my understanding, is that OP cannot get such insurance until she is resident, but she needs it to show at the interview to become a resident in the first place. I guess she can try get a quote - not sure if that is possible - to show that she intends to get insurance, understands what it costs, and can show (either out of her planned income or her husband’s income) that they can afford the cost of the insurance.

In the absence of any other option, if that intention to get doesn’t work, I would suggest a plan B of waiting till the next open enrollment period, husband can enroll, and then she at least can show an existing plan that will take her on. obviously this will mean a delay of many months and is undesirable. 
are there any other options?
I do worry that her husband’s lack of insurance will undermine any promise she makes to get insurance.  

 

I still don’t understand why if husband has had a “good job” since 2018 he is still uninsured.

 

 

Edited March 1, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[geowrian 22,337]

6 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

The problem here, in my understanding, is that OP cannot get such insurance until she is resident, but she needs it to show at the interview to become a resident in the first place. I guess she can try get a quote - not sure if that is possible - to show that she intends to get insurance, understands what it costs, and can show (either out of her planned income or her husband’s income) that they can afford the cost of the insurance.

She only needs to show that she will get it within 30 days of entry.

"4A. Will you be covered by health insurance in the United States within 30 days of your entry into the United States?"

"If you answered "yes" to Item A, identify the specific health insurance plan and date coverage will begin."

 

You can get a quote on healthcare.gov without actually applying. That would be my approach at this time.

If that turns out to be unacceptable given the full set of circumstances (including an uninsured spouse), then the spouse getting a plan where she could be added would be my next suggestion.

Edited March 1, 2020 by geowrian

[Dxc 12]

1 hour ago, geowrian said:

"Addresses the insurance needs of non-U.S. residents who need temporary medical insurance while traveling for business or pleasure to the United States."

"Short-term travel medical coverage"

"Eligibility

The following conditions apply to all persons applying for and/or enrolling in this plan:

This is travel medical insurance for non-U.S. residents traveling to the United States"

 

 

It also says its suitable for newly arrived immigrants.

[Dxc 12]

Im not sure on that part and not sure who would be able to answer it. My wife had her aos interview the other day but they didnt ask for health insurance (she uses the patriot plan) so i couldnt test it.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Just now, Dxc said:

Im not sure on that part and not sure who would be able to answer it. My wife had her aos interview the other day but they didnt ask for health insurance (she uses the patriot plan) so i couldnt test it.

AOS determination also differs somewhat from consular processing so may not be relevant to OP.

[Calicolom 266]

Just file a tax return, even if the income is a big fat ZERO, especially if you are a non citizen. This way you don't have to explain anything, why there is no tax return.

[geowrian 22,337]

19 minutes ago, Dxc said:

It also says its suitable for newly arrived immigrants.

It's not wrong, but it is misleading.

It covers a new immigrant who, for example, is coming to the US for 30 days before going back abroad to close any loose ends, is a student, etc. They may want insurance for those 30 days while in the US.

 

But read the actual policy documents. It is clear they are not intended for somebody who is actually living in the US.

Any policy that has repatriation or trip interruption coverage is a pretty big sign it's not intended for somebody living there.

 

Sample policy: https://www.imglobal.com/docs/library/policy-summaries/patriot-america-plus.pdf

Quote

BENEFIT SUMMARY: Subject to the Terms of this insurance, including the AGREEMENT provision, the following benefits are available to the Insured Person while outside his/her Country of Residence and coverage is available to the Insured Person arising out of Injury or Illness incurred while in the Destination Country.

 

Quote

ELIGIBILITY: If an Insured Person is not eligible, this Certificate is void ab initio and all Premium paid will be refunded. In order to be eligible and qualified for coverage under this insurance, a person must meet all of the following requirements

...

(5) on the Effective Date and on subsequent renewal dates, must have legally departed the Country of Residence and legally entered the Destination Country

...

(8) not have established a permanent residency in the Destination Country

If somebody lives in the US, then the destination country cannot be the US. So how would this apply?