This week we finay got our her passport FEDEX-ed to us and we will enter the USA together next week. I still have to update my dates on here...

But I need your advice: I want to get her health insurance for the 1st 3 months. Now she will not have a SS# - YET and most Insurance companies want a SS#.

Any sugestions?

Justin Luyt

A SSN is not required for your spouse to be added onto your health insurance. If someone tells you otherwise.. ask to talk to their boss until you get to someone who know what they're doing

The Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579) regulates the use of Social Security numbers by government agencies. When a Federal, State, or local government agency asks an individual to disclose his or her Social Security number, the Privacy Act requires the agency to inform the person of the following:

-- Whether disclosure is mandatory or voluntary;
-- By what statutory or other authority the disclosure is solicited;
-- Why the information is being collected; and
-- What the effects are of not providing the information.

These restrictions do not apply to the private sector. Businesses, private agencies, employers etc. are free to request someone's SSN and use it for any purpose that does not violate a Federal or State law. (Some businesses, for example, sell their SSN information to other businesses by computer networks.) Anyone can refuse to disclose his or her number, but the requester can refuse its services without it.

If requested, an individual should ask why the SSN is needed, how the number will be used, what law requires the number be provided and what is the consequence if not provided. The answers to these questions can help an individual decide if he or she wants to provide his or her SSN.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has no responsibility for, or control over, the disclosure of an individual's SSN once the number holder furnishes it to a third party.

I found a couple companies that would do it without an ss#. One was Golden Rule.

If you want to add your wife to your employer coverage you have to be married, hmmm maybe if you are in California you can add her as
your living partner on your health benefit.

You have 30 days from the date you got married to add her otherwise you have to wait until your company next open enrollment. You don't need SSN number to add her as you can submit that info later on. All that was required was a copy of the marriage certificate.

I did ask the boss...he said my husband needed a SSN before I could add him. Of course, this is State Merit insurance, provided to state employees of the school system, so maybe that's the difference.