Health insurance before SSN?

[londongal 17]

Hi all

I'm hoping someone might have some insight. I move to Texas on the 17th of this month at which point I will be 32 weeks pregnant. I'm anxious to get healthcare immediately so I can continue with my prenatal care and you know just Incase anything happens I have a doctor/midwife I can call or see.

My fiancé who I'll be marrying on May 21st has just changed jobs two weeks ago on which he's on a part time contract so his insurance comes into play in the next two weeks and it says in order to add spouse they would need my SSN. How quickly could i get that? Looking at the timelines I'm guessing around 4 weeks at the quickest ?

Do I have any other options? Can I get a health plan on my own without an SSN. Ideally I'd like to be covered within 2 weeks of entering the US so that takes me to 34 weeks pregnancy and enough time to choose a hospital, do some antenatal classes etc.

I appreciate it would be easier to stay in the Uk and have the baby but we didn't want to be apart for the birth of our first child and as he's started a new job he gets no time off or paternal leave.

[FoundMy#1 9]

First: the insurance company should be able to use your Passport or American visa number. As k them if that is ok. Otherwise, it might take awhile to get SSN since you came over on fiancé visa. Spousal visa takes 3 weeks to get SSN. Fiancé visa anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months

[A'n'L 735]

Hi,

I'm not an expert since I haven't tried it yet myself. Buuut, the SSN guide for K1 on VJ says:

"Once you have successfully applied for your SSN, the SSN card will come in the mail in about 2 weeks. You can check on the status of the SSN application and/or often get the SSN in advance by returning in person (try calling) to the SSA office. If you need your SSN before it arrives in the mail you may ask them for an SSA-7028, Notice to Third Party of Social Security Number Assignments, to be sent to your employer or other interested third party once a SSN has been assigned. Your card, when you receive it, will be marked with the words "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS AUTHORIZATION" indicating to an employer that you must also have an unexpired EAD to be eligible to work."

You should be able to apply for the SSN a day or two after entry, so looks like you will be able to obtain it within the timeline you hope for. Fingers crossed the information is correct...

[londongal 17]

Hi,

I'm not an expert since I haven't tried it yet myself. Buuut, the SSN guide for K1 on VJ says:

"Once you have successfully applied for your SSN, the SSN card will come in the mail in about 2 weeks. You can check on the status of the SSN application and/or often get the SSN in advance by returning in person (try calling) to the SSA office. If you need your SSN before it arrives in the mail you may ask them for an SSA-7028, Notice to Third Party of Social Security Number Assignments, to be sent to your employer or other interested third party once a SSN has been assigned. Your card, when you receive it, will be marked with the words "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS AUTHORIZATION" indicating to an employer that you must also have an unexpired EAD to be eligible to work."

You should be able to apply for the SSN a day or two after entry, so looks like you will be able to obtain it within the timeline you hope for. Fingers crossed the information is correct...

I was looking at the guide and it said to wait two weeks upon entry to apply for the SSN, is this no longer valid? If not, great! I will definitely apply the day after I get there or something

[A'n'L 735]

I was looking at the guide and it said to wait two weeks upon entry to apply for the SSN, is this no longer valid? If not, great! I will definitely apply the day after I get there or something

Yes, since they started using an electronic system to register arrivals - you should be able to apply the next working day after entry.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Insurance does not need a SSN. Babies aren't born with SSNs and they are on insurance. Who told him he needed one? Maybe it was a clueless HR person?

[yuna628 9,528]

SSNs are not required to be given out by law to certain persons who may demand them - this includes insurance companies. That being said, when you get stateside, check your I94 first and see if you're logged in there. If you are, after a few days the SSA should have a record of you. People tend to run into problems if the SSA database isn't updated, if for some reason you aren't entered into the I94 database, or if they encounter a dumb SSA employee. Make sure you take the printout the guide mentions, and ask for a supervisor if you encounter a dumb one.

[Chris and ZhiJia 146]

Insurance does not need a SSN. Babies aren't born with SSNs and they are on insurance. Who told him he needed one? Maybe it was a clueless HR person?

Every insurance carrier and policy is different. I spoke directly to our BCBS representative about adding my new wife to my plan. SSN is a manditory required field to be added to the policy. Newborns are the exception to that because their birth records are available to the insurance company, because the state agency that issues the birth certificate automatically registers their information with the SSA, but it is the parents responsibility to request the SSN information. This can be done at birth when having the certificate issued, or post birth at the parent's leisure, and yes some of the Major Insurance carriers will not cover a child under policy if the child does not have a SSN.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Chris and ZhiJia

[yuna628 9,528]

BCBS did not require any SSN under my state and federal law, and they explained that fact clearly. Even if they should send a letter saying they would like your SSN to report back to the IRS that you have healthcare coverage, they explain it is not a mandatory thing and that they have other ways of reporting such information to the IRS. While the IRS uses such information (that the health insurance company is required to report back to them on form 1095-B) it is still never mandatory and there are other ways the IRS can confirm such information from the policy holder directly if they need to. https://www.irs.gov/Affordable-Care-Act/Individuals-and-Families/Your-Health-Insurance-Company-May-Ask-for-Your-Social-Security-Number An HR or representative may claim you need to give them such information up front, but the reality is they don't need it. And the only reason they should ever ''need it'' is to report to the IRS directly. Certainly never to simply just sign up.

[Lemonslice 4,554]

BCBS here - they still don't have my SSN and I've had coverage since our wedding in 2008. They sent a letter once, I replied with "I won't provide my SSN, please use my name and birth date as identifiers".

[heo luoi 206]

We got married first...then did name change via marriage and then SSN to get married name on that ASAP as well.

As soon as we got married I added her to my coverage. I said she had a SSN but we didnt know it yet....then I just added it when I had it.

But getting married and SSN dont take very long at all.

[Ms Hogan 295]

They only really need your SSN because they all use them as identifiers. You shouldn't have to have a SSN to be included but sadly that is most often the case I'm finding! This country is crazy with the amount of exposure that SSNs get. They are so overused!! With that said, you'll have a hard time arguing that you shouldn't need it for coverage!

[Lemonslice 4,554]

They only really need your SSN because they all use them as identifiers. You shouldn't have to have a SSN to be included but sadly that is most often the case I'm finding! This country is crazy with the amount of exposure that SSNs get. They are so overused!! With that said, you'll have a hard time arguing that you shouldn't need it for coverage!

Dentist wanted my SSN... I just say no. I think we also have a role in not giving it when it is not necessary. I don't even know mine by heart, so I can truthfully say, I don't know, it is not required anyway. No arguing so far as I think most of them know they have no right to get it.

[ToddSisca 1]

My husband added me to his health insurance without SSN. They were asking that at first but he explained our situation and within a few weeks I got my insurance card. Maybe it depends on the insurance company

[Chris and ZhiJia 146]

So I am noticing everyone responding about not needing their SSN received their insurance prior to the implementation of the ACA. I just got off of the phone with BCBS, the rep I spoke with made it clear that BCBS now requires the subscriber and all covered family members to have and provide an ITIN or an SSN in their systems because the new federal law requires the Insurance company to list the SSN of all covered parties on the 1095-B form that they submit to the IRS. She said that if the SSN or ITIN is not present and they are unable to provide it on the 1095-B that the government fines the insurance company.

She also went on to say that BCBS is currently in the middle of a mass mailing out to all of their covered members who don't have a SSN on file sending them a document telling them that they must provide an SSN for their coverage. So if you have BCBS and your SSN is not on file with them, you will likely be receiving a letter in the mail soon that instructs you to provide your SSN or ITIN for their records.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Chris and ZhiJia