How do you get health insurance?

[ineedadisplayname 468]

I had accident and critical illness insurance from National General  Insurance https://natgenhealth.com/ . Not sure if it started immediately or the first of the month tho... If I remember correctly it was month by month and could cancel anytime. Even if you start working in 40 days, your insurance might not kick in on the first day (depends on your employer) and you can have multiple overages too. And yeah it was not a $100, but also not $500  it was around in the middle and basically it was for being in a car crash etc. As others said since you are already an LPR you can get on https://www.healthcare.gov/

and buy insurance from the market place.

[Diane and Chris 651]

9 hours ago, exp said:

Thank you. I'm looking into that right now.

But those would be full-fledged insurances, right?

 

I really only need short term for 40 days and only for emergencies. These full-fledged insurances are hard to cancel I assume.

 

EDIT: Exactly; these are in excess of 500$ . I'm really not looking for such a beast but a short-term emergency insurance. the ones I mentioned from https://www.investopedia.com/best-short-term-health-insurance-4844942 are exactly that and around 100$. They just discriminate me based on my greencard

 

You usually can’t get something for nothing. I doubt you’re being discriminated against. Many people are in this same position. Look into catastrophic short term insurance. Easy to cancel. 

[caliliving 606]

Insurance in the USA is crazy. I would probably just go without it for a few months - see if you can get coveted for catastrophic through your company. Honestly be grateful your company covers you in a few months. Hang tight and do do anything stupid! I was without insurance for years,  Most people don’t get insurance in the us. I am going to assume you are Canadian. 

[SalishSea 17,561]

3 minutes ago, caliliving said:

Most people don’t get insurance in the us.

Huh?

[Hilde 381]

16 hours ago, exp said:

I will start working in 40 days and will have health insurance that convers myself (and my US-citizen spouse).

But until then both I and my US-citizen-spouse (who returns to the US) need to fill the gap with health insurance.

 

Thank you for starting this very important topic! Am following! Please keep us posted as to what you ended up doing!

[KAP2019 187]

7 hours ago, caliliving said:

Insurance in the USA is crazy. I would probably just go without it for a few months - see if you can get coveted for catastrophic through your company. Honestly be grateful your company covers you in a few months. Hang tight and do do anything stupid! I was without insurance for years,  Most people don’t get insurance in the us. I am going to assume you are Canadian. 

Not good advice, especially during a pandemic. 

[carmel34 3,585]

7 hours ago, caliliving said:

I am going to assume you are Canadian. 

why??

[Hilde 381]

7 hours ago, caliliving said:

Insurance in the USA is crazy. I would probably just go without it for a few months - see if you can get coveted for catastrophic through your company. Honestly be grateful your company covers you in a few months. Hang tight and do do anything stupid! I was without insurance for years,  Most people don’t get insurance in the us. I am going to assume you are Canadian. 

I would also very much advise against not having insurance - especially in the US.

[exp 17]

14 hours ago, ineedadisplayname said:

I had accident and critical illness insurance from National General  Insurance https://natgenhealth.com/ .

Thank you. That seems to be another working choice!

 

12 hours ago, Diane and Chris said:

You usually can’t get something for nothing. I doubt you’re being discriminated against. Many people are in this same position. Look into catastrophic short term insurance. Easy to cancel. 

I never said I want anything for nothing.
And I feel I am discriminated by these companies (https://www.investopedia.com/best-short-term-health-insurance-4844942).

3 hours ago, carmel34 said:

11 hours ago, caliliving said:

I am going to assume you are Canadian. 

why??

You are almost correct.

I am European citizen but lived in Canada as a temporary resident.

My US-citizen spouse was with me and insured over me there. Now we are going back to US.

So we have a very complicated situation going on.

 

5 hours ago, Hilde said:

Thank you for starting this very important topic! Am following! Please keep us posted as to what you ended up doing!

It's insane how complicated and frustrating that is.

But thanks to @green_rabbit and @ineedadisplayname I found two options that I think work well:

 

1. National General Short Term is 128/month + 35 setup for 10k deductible and no OOP. It's a US short term insurance that seems to cover greencard people who are new.
2. Cigna Silver is 129/month, no setup, can be canceled any time (prorated days will be refunded) for 10k deducible, no OOP. It's an expat insurance where I tell them what I citizenship is and where I live.

 

I strongly want to discourge from misleading information that's out there by insurance market places like Insbuy and Visitorscoverage. Both advice for plans like Patriot America (Plus):

https://www.visitorscoverage.com/immigrants/health-insurance-for-green-card-holders/

https://www.visitorscoverage.com/green-card-health-insurance/plans/

https://www.***removed***.com/green-card-holders-visiting-usa-insurance/

 

However, the policy states:

 

Quote

 

D. 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:

(1) complete and sign an Application as the Insured Person (or be listed thereon by proxy as an applicant and proposed Insured

Person), and/or as the Insured Person’s Spouse, Child and/or Grandchild

(2) pay the required Premium on or before the Effective Date of Coverage

(3) receive written acceptance of his/her Application, renewal or extension from the Company

(4) be an individual at least fourteen (14) days old

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

entered the Destination Country

(6) not be Pregnant, Hospitalized or Disabled on the Initial Effective Date

(7) not be HIV + on the Initial Effective Date

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

 

 

Of course, a lawful permanent resident can be by definition interpreted as a permanent resident (or at least someone with the intention to establish a permenant residency).

Of course, these websites have a nice disclaimer like:

 

and

 

Also, when being asked directly:

 

 

 

In short, if I buy an insurance for a worst-case scenario to avoid a million dollars claim, the last thing I wanted is to fight with the insurance about the nuances/interpretation of my permanent residence.

 

Cigna and National General are the only two options I found that seem solid enough to me.

 

I personally will go for Cigna Silver, as I can take it for exactly 40 days, the policy sounds solid and is confirmed by a Cigna agent; no setup fees and it's inexpensive at 129$/month.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by exp

[Boiler 44,986]

Insurance is regulated in the US at the State level, so whist there are some similarities moving State is like moving Countries elsewhere.

 

Buying through the Exchange takes time so is not really suitable for short term issues, no real answer,.

 

Obviously the price is indicative of the cover, if they charge 25% of the normal rate well speaks for itself, but if you just want something better than nothing then get what you can.

 

And US is nothing like Canada or most likely whatever European Country you came from.

[Ryan H 3,810]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to Moving to the US and Your New Life In America forum.