Health Insurance for K-3 and K-4 visa holders

[PEGUINS 0]

Hi Everyone,

My wife and I were married in October. My wife and daughter are not eligible for my group plan until the end of the year at work. Since I did not enroll her within the 1 month window that they allow. So I need to find either a temparary or permanent insurance for them. Any one have a suggestion where to buy a good policy. A lot of them require they either have their green card or have been here for a year. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Edited July 10, 2007 by PEGUINS

[Clarky and Tarah 0]

I'm searching for health insurance, too. It's VERY confusing. I'm thinking about calling some local brokers (well not local, the closest one is 30 miles away) and get their take on it. I saw alot of really great insurances for like NY and stuff while I was searching, but none for little old WV.

Do your wife and daugther have any kind of conditions that were pre-existing or high risk? Those seem to have a big impact on insurance, too.

[Rings 10]

Penguin, I was married in January and because I did not enroll my husband within a month of the wedding, they tried to tell me the same thing. I still had the ability to enroll my husband into my medical insurance plan (provided by the company I work with) due to loss of health coverage witch is also a life changing event. If you are doing a K1 visa, then the marriage should be the life changing event and as soon as you are married, then you have one month to add her and her child to the coverage plan.

If you are already married, then when the family comes into America, they lose their health care and therefore it is a life changing event and you should be able to add them to your employers Health care coverage that you are on because of the life changing event.

Either way here are some links to good healthcare providers. Please note that if you can avoid a deductible, then you should. A deductible is an amount that they make you pay before the medical insurance will cover the remaining expenses. It is a better deal to pay more annually than it is to have to pay for a deductible.

Example: If you have a $1,000.00 deductible and you go to the doctor and the doctor bills you $3,500.00 for the medical care, then you are responsible to pay $1,000.00 of it before the insurance company will pay the rest. You want to try to aim for no deductile.

Some insurance companies will cover certain expenses pertaining to medical and some companies will only pay a percentage. It depends on the type of coverage that you purchase. A good plan would cover at least 80% of your medical expenses.

Then we have these dumb things called Co-Pay's. This is the amount you have to pay right when you see the doctor and before the doctor bills your insurance company. You may have a $35.00 co-pay everytime you go in and then your doctor will bill directly to the insurance company. If the insurance company pays 80% of the invoice, then you will be billed for the remainder.

Those are some things to think about when choosing your medical coverage. Most jobs offer medical coverage within 6 months of employment. Getting medical through your work is normally a better deal because your company get a discounted plan due to having multiple participants.

Here are some good American Medical Insurance Providers

UNITED HEALTHCARE

BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD

CIGNA HEALTHCARE

CENTURA HEALTH

And here is a link that will help you learn about American Health Insurance Plans and how they work

AMERICAN HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS

Hope this helps some *hugs*

[PEGUINS 0]

Rings,

Thanks for all your good information. Hugs are always good

[Yodrak 7]

PEGUINS,

Your timeline says that they entered the USA on June 29, less than 1 month ago. What 1-month window are you talking about?

My employer's insurer considered my wife and stepson's entry into the US a 'life changing' event that allowed me to change my coverage from 'single' to 'family' without waiting for the annual enrollment.

Yodrak

Hi Everyone,

My wife and I were married in October. My wife and daughter are not eligible for my group plan until the end of the year at work. Since I did not enroll her within the 1 month window that they allow. So I need to find either a temparary or permanent insurance for them. Any one have a suggestion where to buy a good policy. A lot of them require they either have their green card or have been here for a year. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Urge To Race 2]

Penguins,

Yes, Yodrak is right. I spoke with my insurer and employer. I did not have to add my wife to my plan within a month of getting married. I have 30 days after she gets here because her arrival here will be considered an event that triggers my ability to add her to the coverage, the so called "change in circumstances event." I would contact my HR benefits people and the insurer and ask about this specifically and providing the details. Same for Clarky and Tarah.

Cheers

PEGUINS,

Your timeline says that they entered the USA on June 29, less than 1 month ago. What 1-month window are you talking about?

My employer's insurer considered my wife and stepson's entry into the US a 'life changing' event that allowed me to change my coverage from 'single' to 'family' without waiting for the annual enrollment.

Yodrak

Hi Everyone,

My wife and I were married in October. My wife and daughter are not eligible for my group plan until the end of the year at work. Since I did not enroll her within the 1 month window that they allow. So I need to find either a temparary or permanent insurance for them. Any one have a suggestion where to buy a good policy. A lot of them require they either have their green card or have been here for a year. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[PEGUINS 0]

Yes Yodrak

The time frame is from we got married. I am now trying to find out if they consider her moving here and losing her benifits for insurance life changing. Waiting to hear back from HR Dept.

Penguins,

Yes, Yodrak is right. I spoke with my insurer and employer. I did not have to add my wife to my plan within a month of getting married. I have 30 days after she gets here because her arrival here will be considered an event that triggers my ability to add her to the coverage, the so called "change in circumstances event." I would contact my HR benefits people and the insurer and ask about this specifically and providing the details. Same for Clarky and Tarah.

Cheers

PEGUINS,

Your timeline says that they entered the USA on June 29, less than 1 month ago. What 1-month window are you talking about?

My employer's insurer considered my wife and stepson's entry into the US a 'life changing' event that allowed me to change my coverage from 'single' to 'family' without waiting for the annual enrollment.

Yodrak

Hi Everyone,

My wife and I were married in October. My wife and daughter are not eligible for my group plan until the end of the year at work. Since I did not enroll her within the 1 month window that they allow. So I need to find either a temparary or permanent insurance for them. Any one have a suggestion where to buy a good policy. A lot of them require they either have their green card or have been here for a year. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[TracyTN 237]

Most HR department's recognize a marriage (or divorce) as a 'qualifying event'. I'm sure you'll have no trouble adding her - probably will just need a copy of the marriage certificate.

[PEGUINS 0]

Thanks to all who gave me their imput on this situation. After haggleing with the HR dept. at the company I work for and a call to the insurance divsion of our state and the health insurance provider. The HR dept found out this was a qualifying event and they had to add my wife and child to my policy. Before they had said since I had not enrolled her within 30 days of us being married that she would have to wait until the new calender year to be added. I had to produce for them the I-94 a copy of the K-3 and K-4 visas from passport and the insurance ID from her insurance she had in Brazil to be added. This a big relief, One less thing to worry about in this process. Thanks again to you all for your help.

Jeff & Aguida

[Yodrak 7]

TracyTN,

Not if the spouse is not in the USA. Usually one has to wait until the spouse arrives in the USA, and the entry is the qualifying event.

Yodrak

Most HR department's recognize a marriage (or divorce) as a 'qualifying event'. I'm sure you'll have no trouble adding her - probably will just need a copy of the marriage certificate.

[TracyTN 237]

TracyTN,

Not if the spouse is not in the USA. Usually one has to wait until the spouse arrives in the USA, and the entry is the qualifying event.

Yodrak

Most HR department's recognize a marriage (or divorce) as a 'qualifying event'. I'm sure you'll have no trouble adding her - probably will just need a copy of the marriage certificate.

Well yes, obviously that's true - if your spouse were overseas, why would you want to pay for US coverage (as they would not be here to use it)?

Edited July 13, 2007 by TracyTN

[Yodrak 7]

And that is PEQUINS situation - his wife is a K3. He didn't want to add her to his insurance at the time of his marriage, but he does want to add her now that she has arrived in the USA.

Yodrak

TracyTN,

Not if the spouse is not in the USA. Usually one has to wait until the spouse arrives in the USA, and the entry is the qualifying event.

Yodrak

Most HR department's recognize a marriage (or divorce) as a 'qualifying event'. I'm sure you'll have no trouble adding her - probably will just need a copy of the marriage certificate.

Well yes, obviously that's true - if your spouse were overseas, why would you want to pay for US coverage (as they would not be here to use it)?