Getting short term medical insurance.....?

[cheryl&paul 0]

does anyone have any advice on getting some short term medical insurance for Cheryl as she is now in the US? We get married this coming Saturday, and my company has told me they cannot add her to my policy until we have proof of the marriage certificate. so, we'll be away for a week, so I am just wanting to have SOMETHING for an emergency plan for the first week of our married lives. We've not been able to find anything yet for someon going through a K-1, even if approved......

ideas or suggestions???

[rebeccajo 14]

For a week? There are some things out there for a month, or six months...but a week?

Not being a smart-###, but can't she just ...um, stay indoors away from sharp objects?

[Mand 1]

I was here for about 2 months before we got married with no medical insurance and I was perfectly fine. Is she seriously in need of medical help? If not, relax, enjoy the wedding and add her to your insurance as soon as the company will let you.

[brtlmj 0]

Not being a smart-###, but can't she just ...um, stay indoors away from sharp objects?

That does not protect from appendicitis, to give just one example...

Bartek

[ladybutterfly 0]

Best thing you can do is chill, relax and enjoy the wedding. I am one of those people that have lived here for 7 months without insurance.

[Jenn! 918]

I think you are being responsible here, and although my husband went 6 weeks without health insurance when he first arrived, I don't think anyone should advocate for not getting interim insurance.

The best solution might be a travel policy. Check out a local travel agent. I used to live in Italy and come home for the summers. My travel agency issued me an emergency only policy valid in the U.S.

[mhymers 0]

I agree. A friend of mine got serious food poisioning 3 days after entering the US. Without the proper health coverage she had to come back to Canada for treatment as the hospital bills were to expensive for her US fiance to pay. I know- what are the chances? You probably won't need it!

But, if you want to get health coverage get it! Better safe then sorry, and it's not that expensive to get it. I know that I will. You can get travel insurance before leaving your home country that is usually pretty affordable. At least in Canada you can. I think it cost me $75 for a month.

[rebeccajo 14]

Does travel insurance cover med expense if you have immigrated? I'm seriously asking.

[Jenn! 918]

Does travel insurance cover med expense if you have immigrated? I'm seriously asking.

I don't think they could contest, since a K1 is technically a nonimmigrant visa...

[Ladylethal 12]

You can call them and ask. I think your best shot is the travel insurance. But I bet your fiancee won´t need it.

[brtlmj 0]

I don't think they could contest, since a K1 is technically a nonimmigrant visa...

That's my thinking as well. There is one thing to keep in mind, though. Most (if not all) travel insurance policies have something that I would call a "repatriation clause". Basically, your insurer has an option of sending you to your home country if that's possible. If you refuse, the insurer's resposibility is limited to the cost of repatriation. That is not a problem for a tourist, but can be for a de facto immigrant.

Mind you, I have never heard of it actually happening.

Bartek

[bly 0]

Does travel insurance cover med expense if you have immigrated? I'm seriously asking.

I don't think they could contest, since a K1 is technically a nonimmigrant visa...

You have to be really careful getting travel insurance for someone immigrating to the USA. Most polices are based on "Home Country" and your home country changes when you immigrate. Coverage begins when you leave your home country and ends when you return to your home country. Now when does your home country change to the USA. When you arrive in the USA? When you get married? Who knows, but if the insurance company can deny it, they will. TravelGuard advised me NOT to use travel insurance for a K1.

There is specific immigration insurance you can obtain for about the same pricing, here is what I have found so far. (Some of it is annual policies and some of them are month to month)

http://www.nriol.com/insurance/view_inboundimmigrant.html

http://www.specialtyrisk.com/brochure/Inbo...NT2002noapp.htm

http://www.insurance-network.com/immigrating.htm

I like the nriol one, but that’s simply because they do not deny coverage while riding a motorcycle (something I do a lot).

I can tell you this, read the FINE PRINT. The coverage says $100,000, but only $5000 for surgery. Here is the fine print for nroil http://www.specialtyrisk.com/brochure/Inbo...NT2002noapp.htm

And yes, I will be purchasing here 90 days insurnace to cover me if something happens before we get married.

[Jenn! 918]

You have to be really careful getting travel insurance for someone immigrating to the USA. Most polices are based on "Home Country" and your home country changes when you immigrate. Coverage begins when you leave your home country and ends when you return to your home country. Now when does your home country change to the USA. When you arrive in the USA? When you get married? Who knows, but if the insurance company can deny it, they will. TravelGuard advised me NOT to use travel insurance for a K1.

When I returned to the USA after being an Italian resident for three years, I purchased travel insurance to be in force from the time I left Italy until the time that my U.S. job started - a total of 90 days. There was no stipulation that I return to Italy.

I'm failing to see how this is any different than, let's say an Italian K1 visa holder entering the U.S.

I'm sure your information is accurate, it must be that I was able to find a good deal...

[rebeccajo 14]

The travel insurance thing is interesting.

I posted the way I did above (kind of sarcastic but not being mean or nasty) because I'm really unaware of any short term (less than one month) coverage that is available. There probably is a need for it in the real world though.....

[yassmine2878 1]

Ive worked in the hospital billing and coding business for several years and we often have cases of people being added to a policy in the middle of a plan year due to birth, adoption, or marriage. In most cases the insurance company will retro the coverage back to the date the patient's staus changed, provided the patient has been added to the policy within 30 days of the life-event (birth, adoption, marriage). Example: Baby is born on January 1st, but mom doesnt call her HR dept to add the baby to the plan until January 15th. As long as the dependent is added to the plan within the 30-day window the insurance company (in most cases) will cover the dependent from the day they became a dependent (husband, wife, son, daughter, whatever).

I would wager that your spouse-to-be would get that retro coverage if needed. But like I say, some insurance companies are picky, so I would call your HR rep or your insurance benefits department and ask them about this type of coverage.