One of my concerns about bringing over the mother or father of a newly minted USC, what about health insurance? For a mother or father who is 60+ years old, what is typical for health insurance for those individuals.

This is obviously someone who has no U.S. work experience. What is everyone doing for this?


Just curious...

Thanks.

I have been looking into this too.... as I plan to file for my parents as soon as I become a citizen.... here in MA the best quote I have been able to get is for $1200.00 per month for them both....

If you find anything better let me know....

I did check with the Social Security office about medicare and was told that they will not qualify until they become USC... so you are looking at 5 years....

Kezzie

Someone recommended to me that we look into travelers' insurance, although it would only be good for a year or so.

They are not travellers, they are emmigrants.

Subject comes up now and again, I wondered the same thing, I guess those that do go through with it hope that their parents stay healthy.

$1200 a month would be the current cost, it goes up with medical inflation and age. Significantly. Plus of course all the on costs even if you have Insurance.

They will have to buy into Medicare. And who knows what that will be and how much it will cost.

I did a search in google for expat insurance and came up with some pretty good ones, not cheap but no way as bad as $1200 per month. It is worth doing a search, if I can find out which ones I looked at I will post it. I have a job interview lined up for when I get out there and if I am successful I will have insurance for myself and my hubby so I am keeping my fingers crossed as I am over 60 now, only by 8 months

It is a worry I agree and to have to worry about it would drive me dememted but my husband will also be able to work once we are out there so we are not in a bad situation plus we will be more or less self sufficient.

If you googel Expat Insurance I am sure you will find something better than $1200 per month

Thanks munchkins... I will do it as soon as I am home from work....

Dont think my boss would be too happy about me doing it here...

Kezzie

I have heard of people taking "medical vacations" back to their home countries for serious medical treatment in situations like this. Especially for things like major dental work. But still. emergencies come up more often at this age, and to be without health insurance is very risky.
Other things to consider might be the question of, how often does the government sue the I-864 sponsor for defaulting on his beneficiaries?
Secondly, parents should try to get a job somewhere, even low wage but with benefits. Hard to find these days, but some large retailers like Nordstrom still offer benefits to full time employees.

I did a quick look as well as I thought it looked about right.

In round numbers depending on limits, deductibles etc and as a guideline only

$1,000 a month at age 60

$1,500 a month at age 65

Hitting $2,000 at 70.

For two.




Many coutries are cracking doen on this, depends where you come from.



I doubt anybody knows, never happened to my knowledge.


Do they employ the over 60's. and if so on what package?. We get the AARP magazine, if there was such an employer I am sure they would get plenty of coverage!

All the info I got from google about expat insurance seams very limited on coverage... and it looks like you have to pay out first then claim it back.... or the policey was not available in MA... so I think the plans I have looked at with companies that I know are widely used her in MA will work out best... even if it is about $1200 per month for mom and dad....

Dad plans on working so if he gets anysort of insurance then its a bonus but we have to count on having to pay for the insurance ourselves....

But thanks for the info....

Kezzie

Apologies for my typo's, the edit function seems to be playing up.



http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390718

A question of the day

Yeh I knew about the fact that if they were to try and return to the UK for medical treatment they would be charged.... I have had to take out travel/medical insurance to visit Scotland in 3 weeks time for both myself (UK Citizen) and my husband....

But I did find out that my medical insurance here in MA gives me limited coverage outside the US and our Creditcard we used to purchase the flight tickets also gives travel insurance... but not much....

Kezzie

There are clinics and hospitals who provide free treatment for people who does not have health insurance. Check with someone in your local area who had brought immigrant parents in USA.

Minimum patch up and out the door service.

Treatment is not the word I would use.

We brought my mother-in-law here in February of last year, and had a rude awakening about health insurance after she got here. She is 65 years old.

First of all, she is inelegible for any govt benefits of any kind, unless she works 40 quarters and contributes to Social Security. I searched for any kind of health insurance plan for her, had my Dr.'s office people search, and our local hospital searched. We could not find any insurance at any price......because at 65 years old, all insurance plans are geared to a person having Medicare.

I found one company on the internet that claimed they would insure anybody, called them, and smelled a scam. When I searched the internet for comments related to their service, it turned out that they pretty much are a scam.

So all we can do is try to negotiate discounts for her whenever she gets medical care. My Dr. heavily discounts her, and sometimes treats her for free since he is also an older Filipino. Our local hospital gives her the Medicare price as long as we pay cash.

Well, I did find this on Medicare's website:

" You will be eligible to apply for Medicare if you have paid into Social Security for at least 10 years or you are eligible to receive Social Security benefits on your spouse’s earnings. If you do not meet these requirements, you can still get Medicare hospital insurance (Part A) by paying a monthly premium if you are a citizen or a lawfully admitted alien who has lived in the U.S. for at least five years.

Also, anyone who is age 65 and a citizen or a lawfully admitted alien with five years of residency in the United States can sign up for Medicare Part B medical insurance and pay a monthly premium."


So to me it looks like you need to have a 2 part plan:

1. Bridge the gap for the first 5 years by finding some sort of insurance that's not a scam, or negotiate fees, and/or go back to their home country for anything that deems it so.

2. Apply for Medicare and pay the premiums after 5 years. I wonder what the premiums from Medicare are like...


Seems like a picnic...

A person at least 65 years old and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States for 5 continuous years not having the required 10 years in Medicare-covered employment or eligible on the record of an insured spouse may purchase Medicare coverage.

The 2006 Medicare Part A premium for those who are not eligible for premium free hospital insurance (HI) and have less than 30 quarters of Medicare covered employment is $393.00 per month. The Part A premium is $216.00 for those individuals having 30 to 39 quarters of Medicare covered employment. You cannot enroll in Premium HI (Part A)without also enrolling in Part B.

HI 00801.131 Eligibility for Premium-HI:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0600801131

Medicare Part B has an $88.50 monthly premium for 2006.

Good info, Galyas. I also found this when I was doing some research (as my fiance's mom may want to move here eventually):

"If you are not a U.S. citizen or a lawfully admitted alien who has lived in the U.S. continuously for a five-year period, please contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 for your Medicare enrollment and eligibility."

I have not yet phoned that number (as it will be quite a while until we need to consider this) but I wonder if the information would be similar to what you posted (about needing some sort of gap insurance). My fiance's mom is also worried about her health ruling her out for any coverage (she is registered disabled). So far, I haven't been able to find answers to that question.

LINK

mdyoung and TracyTN... thanks for the info now all I need to do is find cover for them both for 5 years... Dad has Diabetis and mom has thyriod problems....

Kezzie

I took the view that it is not so bad when there are 2 of them, but sooner or later there will be one.

I have a Brother who lives close but he is single and not likely to be that much use.





I do not think they are all scams, some of the Global Expatriate packages are written by AIG. But the ones that are likely to be decent are also expensive and no Insurance is Comprehensive.

But strikes me that your solution is likely to be the most practical for most. Works for minor issues but what happens if there is a major medical?



She should be OK for Medicare, when she qualifies. Most, probably all, individual health plans exclude pre existing issues.



So say $480 per month per person.

Plus of course there are limitations and exclusions. You can incvur significant costs even if you qualify for Medicare

And that is current pricing, not that 5 years plus down the road.

Plus you have the cost of whatever Medicare Part D prescription drug plan you pick if you want prescription drug coverage.

Now the one hope is that they can qualify for QMB or at least SLMB. That were the state picks up the premiums for low income people that are eligible for Medicare. I would assume they can't qualify for either of those until becoming U.S. citizens, since they will probably deem the sponsors income to determine elegibility, since that's what the SSI program does. There is a subsidy for Medicare Part D where low income people pay a reduced premium or no premium.

HI 00801.139 QMB Provisions:

https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0600801139

HI 03001.010 Eligibility for a Prescription Drug Subsidy:

https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0603001010

The other thing is that they sign up as soon as they are eligible, since there are premium penalties for signing up late for Premium HI, Parts B and D.

HI 01005.010 Premium Increase for Delay in Enrollment:

https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0601005010

The HI surcharge percentage is 10 percent for those who delayed enrollment for 12 months or more...

HI 01001.010 Premium Increase for Late Enrollment:

https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0601001010

The Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) premium is increased 10 percent for each full 12 months during which an individual could have been, but was not, enrolled in SMI.

HI 03001.001 Description of the Medicare Prescription Drug Program:

https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0603001001

If the beneficiary fails to enroll during the initial open enrollment period (IOEP) or during their initial enrollment period (IEP) for Medicare and does not have creditable prescription drug coverage or meets other requirements for enrollment under an SEP, late fees may be charged. The fee will be 1% of the National base premium ($32.20 for 2006) for each month after May 2006 for which a beneficiary is eligible for Part D but not enrolled. This penalty fee is a permanent increase to the premium.

Even though they are immigrants, some types of traveler's insurance companies may cover them. Check out: http://www.buyamericaninsurance.com/compare/newimmigrant.do. We're looking at a company called Patriot American. It's renewable for a certain time period.

Lots and lots of small print.

Including:

PPO

20% Co pay.

Pre existing exclusion

Pretty much no dental

Probably a few more.