Availing medicaid

[star 0]

Hello everyone!

Merry christmas !!!

My question here is, Is availing a medicaid will pose any problem in my application for citizenship? I don't have

health insurance so I was thinking to avail this medicaid, but also worried it might affect my citizenship?I will be applying by 2009. Any idea, will greatly be appreciated.

Thanks

[Dakine 26]

Hello everyone!

Merry christmas !!!

My question here is, Is availing a medicaid will pose any problem in my application for citizenship? I don't have

health insurance so I was thinking to avail this medicaid, but also worried it might affect my citizenship?I will be applying by 2009. Any idea, will greatly be appreciated.

Thanks

I don't think they will allow people with GCs to apply. At least not in Hawaii.

[Old Dominion 26]

Someone sponsored you for your green card, made a ten-year commitment, and may be called upon to reimburse the government for your Medicaid benefits. To obtain Medicaid, as you probably already know, your family income needs to be quite low...low enough that you are eligible for food stamps and other forms of public assistance. Even if you do qualify, your sponsor can be billed. Do you want that to happen?

[moonhunt 1]

Someone sponsored you for your green card, made a ten-year commitment, and may be called upon to reimburse the government for your Medicaid benefits. To obtain Medicaid, as you probably already know, your family income needs to be quite low...low enough that you are eligible for food stamps and other forms of public assistance. Even if you do qualify, your sponsor can be billed. Do you want that to happen?

It's not just ten-year.

It is ten-year of working history, which means you have to accumulate 40 credits for social security tax payment.

So if you don't work, it will go forever unless you become US citizenship, die, or abandon legal permanent residency and go back to home country.

[SunDrop 59]

Someone sponsored you for your green card, made a ten-year commitment, and may be called upon to reimburse the government for your Medicaid benefits. To obtain Medicaid, as you probably already know, your family income needs to be quite low...low enough that you are eligible for food stamps and other forms of public assistance. Even if you do qualify, your sponsor can be billed. Do you want that to happen?

It's not just ten-year.

It is ten-year of working history, which means you have to accumulate 40 credits for social security tax payment.

So if you don't work, it will go forever unless you become US citizenship, die, or abandon legal permanent residency and go back to home country.

Actually, I thought it was 40 periods of cumulative employment, so if both people are working, it's only 5 years?

[gracell 0]

Hello!

I called up the medicaid information.Good thing I asked because,according to them,our income and status like other assets will be check first and also because we lived in a decent house,even if i don't have income for now, I DON'T QUALIFY.They did'nt talk about being a greencard holder.

I am totally at a loss for now,needs to have a good dental work for my broken filling.Low cost still not affordable here.

Anyway,as soon as I got a job,this will all be my priority.

[antda 13]

Hi Gracell,

Sorry that you are having trouble finding health insurance. Yes, medicaid is income and asset based, and have other guidelines, regardless of one's immigration status. As for finding other healthcare alternatives, you can try looking at local community health clinics, that offer free and/or lower "sliding scale" payment services (such as paying at a lower cost, or in installments, or not at all), based on your financial situation. As well, you can try looking into other programs (some government based, some non-government based) that also offer health insurance too. For example, here in New York State, they have a state-wide health insurance program called "Family Health Plus" and "Child Health Plus", which is different from medicaid and are for people that have higher incomes than medicaid guidelines but have lower incomes that cannot afford private expensive health insurance. These programs are not means-tested benefits too, and that if they have this program or other similar programs in your state that you can apply for that as well.

Regardless, I hope you do find good healthcare, as that's very important for everyone to have indeed!

Hope this helps. Good luck with the rest of your immigration journey, and good luck with your healthcare situation too.

Ant

Hello!

I called up the medicaid information.Good thing I asked because,according to them,our income and status like other assets will be check first and also because we lived in a decent house,even if i don't have income for now, I DON'T QUALIFY.They did'nt talk about being a greencard holder.

I am totally at a loss for now,needs to have a good dental work for my broken filling.Low cost still not affordable here.

Anyway,as soon as I got a job,this will all be my priority.

Edited December 28, 2008 by AntandD

[T and M 1]

Hello everyone!

Merry christmas !!!

My question here is, Is availing a medicaid will pose any problem in my application for citizenship? I don't have

health insurance so I was thinking to avail this medicaid, but also worried it might affect my citizenship?I will be applying by 2009. Any idea, will greatly be appreciated.

Thanks

First of all, you do not have to have work credits for Medicaid or S-CHIP. Work credits only apply for Medicare, the US public health care insurance for the elderly and disabled. Medicaid and S-CHIP are amazing programs that provide comprehensive health insurance to individuals who are not eligible for - or cannot afford - private health insurance.

If your job doesn't provide health insurance coverage, then the only decent option (an option available to everyone, regardless of income, in every civilized country in the world aside from the US) is public health insurance. Public doesn't mean free, but it is the only thing available for millions of people and you should definitely look into it if you can't get health insurance on the private market. I have been insured in Italy and the UK under public health insurance programs, and I have to say that the sense of security you get from these programs is priceless. I cry when I think about what Americans go through every day without this safety net.

In 1996, the Congress made immigrants subject to a 5-year waiting period before they can sign up for Medicaid or S-CHIP. This waiting period does not apply in the case of emergencies and "emergency Medicaid" is especially useful for uninsured expecting mothers...it provides coverage to the mother on the day of the birth and for the newborn for one year. My wife and I may need to take advantage of that, for example, if there is anything wrong with the baby and she is therefore "uninsurable" in the private market. Again, there is nothing to be ashamed of if the private health insurance market does not offer you a product or offers you only ridiculously overpriced products. Both these types of cases are extremely common.

Once the 5 year waiting period is up, you should have no problem signing up for Medicaid or S-CHIP. And you DO NOT have to be poor. The income cut offs can be as high as $50,000 a year, depending on the state.

I should also mention that the 5-year waiting period has been a huge disaster for the US health care system. Immigrants are the MOST likely group in America to be uninsured and walk into emergency rooms. In most countries, the first think you do when you cross the border is buy into the public health insurance system. In the US, we make immigrants wait five years.

Anyway, one of the top priorities of the new administration is to remove the 5-year waiting period for immigrants.

[T and M 1]

P.S. For further reading on immigrants and public health insurance, go to the links below. 1996 was the key year. If you became a LPR after that date, you will probably have to wait 5 years to enroll in Medicaid or S-CHIP. Some states provide coverage to LRP's earlier if they are pregnant, for example, but mostly you will have to wait. If you are already been LPR for 5 years you have EVERY RIGHT TO SEEK HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE THROUGH MEDICAID OR S-CHIP DEPENDING ON YOUR INCOME. Medicaid is for the poor. S-CHIP is for middle-class people who can't get family coverage through the private market. (Again, Medicare has NOTHING to do with this...Medicare is a program you earn through 10 years of working in the US.)

You are not considered a "public charge" just because you sign up for a public health insurance program!!! It is just like going to a public high school...your sponsor will not get billed if you have done things legally all the way through!!!!

Bottom line: MAKE SURE YOU GET INSURED!!!! THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF BANKRUPTCY IN THE US IS UNPAID MEDICAL BILLS!!!! IT IS AN EMBARRASSING THING TO TELL PEOPLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES, BUT IT IS TRUE! PLEASE DON'T SET FOOT IN THE US WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE SET UP, PUBLIC/PRIVATE/MIXTURE, WHATEVER!!!! ONE LITTLE ILLNESS CAN RUIN YOU FINANCIALLY. I PERSONALLY FIND THIS MORALLY REPUGNANT, BUT IT IS THE WAY THINGS ARE IN AMERICA. DON'T BECOME A VICTIM OR ANOTHER STATISTIC.

More info on immigrant choices for health insurance under current law:

http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/06/2/gr060206.html

and

http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/7492.pdf

[Sylvia_n_Joseph 3]

Someone sponsored you for your green card, made a ten-year commitment, and may be called upon to reimburse the government for your Medicaid benefits. To obtain Medicaid, as you probably already know, your family income needs to be quite low...low enough that you are eligible for food stamps and other forms of public assistance. Even if you do qualify, your sponsor can be billed. Do you want that to happen?

It's not just ten-year.

It is ten-year of working history, which means you have to accumulate 40 credits for social security tax payment.

So if you don't work, it will go forever unless you become US citizenship, die, or abandon legal permanent residency and go back to home country.

Actually, I thought it was 40 periods of cumulative employment, so if both people are working, it's only 5 years?

No 40 credits for you. So 40 quarters of work which if you work all the time is 10 years

[T and M 1]

Someone sponsored you for your green card, made a ten-year commitment, and may be called upon to reimburse the government for your Medicaid benefits. To obtain Medicaid, as you probably already know, your family income needs to be quite low...low enough that you are eligible for food stamps and other forms of public assistance. Even if you do qualify, your sponsor can be billed. Do you want that to happen?

It's not just ten-year.

It is ten-year of working history, which means you have to accumulate 40 credits for social security tax payment.

So if you don't work, it will go forever unless you become US citizenship, die, or abandon legal permanent residency and go back to home country.

Actually, I thought it was 40 periods of cumulative employment, so if both people are working, it's only 5 years?

No 40 credits for you. So 40 quarters of work which if you work all the time is 10 years

Just to be very clear, you guys are discussing Social Security and Medicare. The thread inquired about Medicaid and other health insurance programs like S-CHIP, which are available to people below certain income levels (not necessarily poor). There is no minimum period of work for these programs, although immigrants who arrived after 1996 have to wait five-years to be eligible.

[T and M 1]

I just read that someone said GC holders are not eligible for Medicaid in Hawaii. Let's summarize this, b/c it is crucial that immigrants know their eligibility options.

(Medicare and Social Security are for the elderly and the disabled....we are NOT talking about Medicare or Social Security, both of which require 10 years, or 40 quarters of work to qualify. Medicaid and S-CHIP have NOTHING to do with work credits. They are for ANYONE who needs it, assuming the individual is eligible.)

IMMIGRANTS' ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAID AND SCHIP UNDER WELFARE REFORM LEGISLATION

Those who entered the United States before 1996

Medicaid:

Coverage with federal and state funds at state option; covered in all states except Wyoming.

S-CHIP

Mandatory coverage with federal and state funds.

Those who entered the United States after 1996

During the first five years

Medicaid:

Coverage with federal funds prohibited except in emergencies.

Some states use state funds to cover pregnant women (18 states and DC); families, seniors or the disabled (13 states and DC) or children* (17 states and DC).

S-CHIP:

Coverage with federal funds prohibited except in emergencies.

Covered with state funds in 12 states.

Those who entered the United States after 1996

After the first five years

Medicaid:

Coverage with federal and state funds at state option; covered in 41 states and DC.

S-CHIP

Mandatory coverage with federal and state funds.

Source: Chin K, Dean S and Patchan K, How Have States Responded to the Eligibility Restrictions on Legal Immigrants in Medicaid and SCHIP? Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, June 2002.

http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/06/2/gr060206.html

[Old Dominion 26]

One does not "avail" oneself of the Medicaid program as if it were an option. Medicaid is not an entitlement, but part of the national welfare program. Many states have budget problems and have already been laying off employees and cutting out important programs in order to meet this expense. Medicare is an entitlement that is reserved for those who have been making contributions to it, just like Social Security.

More than likely, the Obama plan will mean a big cutback in Medicaid including for immigrants. At the same time, it will make health insurance "affordable" for most people. The current Medicaid program provides one more excuse for people not to work, in my view--or to work for money under the table so they can seem to be in poverty. It is abused so widely. CHIP programs are important because babies cannot work.

Yet health insurance is available for as little as $200 per month for those willing to support themselves. Supporting ourselves is part of what it means to be American, not Italian, nor Canadian, nor Swedish, nor British. As a result, the taxes we pay on our income are so much less than elsewhere.

[T and M 1]

One does not "avail" oneself of the Medicaid program as if it were an option. Medicaid is not an entitlement, but part of the national welfare program. Many states have budget problems and have already been laying off employees and cutting out important programs in order to meet this expense. Medicare is an entitlement that is reserved for those who have been making contributions to it, just like Social Security.

More than likely, the Obama plan will mean a big cutback in Medicaid including for immigrants. At the same time, it will make health insurance "affordable" for most people. The current Medicaid program provides one more excuse for people not to work, in my view--or to work for money under the table so they can seem to be in poverty. It is abused so widely. CHIP programs are important because babies cannot work.

Yet health insurance is available for as little as $200 per month for those willing to support themselves. Supporting ourselves is part of what it means to be American, not Italian, nor Canadian, nor Swedish, nor British. As a result, the taxes we pay on our income are so much less than elsewhere.

So the solution is "work." Brilliant. I work. Many people who work are not offered health insurance through their employers. I think the number is around 60%.

You are correct that a young, healthy person can get private insurance for less than $200 per month. For the rest of us, there is Medicaid or S-CHIP. And we will just have to put up with your smartas$ comments. Your attempt to stigmatize "us" will not stop me from getting insurance and taking care of my family. You do not shame me, and I hope that you do not shame the other millions of Americans who have been on the phone with dozens of private health insurance companies only to be told, "Sorry, I can't write you a policy." "You" don't know how many times "we" have cried because the private market won't write "us" a policy. Don't you think "we" WANT to take care of ourselves? Don't you think that "we" WANT to be independent and self-reliant. "We" pay taxes. "We" work. "We" want a system where everyone has an opportunity and a system that doesn't discriminate against the sick. I have lived under systems like this in Italy and England. They encourage entrepreneurs, risk-taking, job-changing. All pay taxes and all receive universal, national, health insurance coverage from the cradle to the grave.

But you want to teach people like "us" a lesson. We can only hope that people like you no longer run this country, so that "we" can build a system that is more just, fair, and lets everyone have a chance to live with dignity and security.

[T and M 1]

One does not "avail" oneself of the Medicaid program as if it were an option. Medicaid is not an entitlement, but part of the national welfare program. Many states have budget problems and have already been laying off employees and cutting out important programs in order to meet this expense. Medicare is an entitlement that is reserved for those who have been making contributions to it, just like Social Security.

More than likely, the Obama plan will mean a big cutback in Medicaid including for immigrants. At the same time, it will make health insurance "affordable" for most people. The current Medicaid program provides one more excuse for people not to work, in my view--or to work for money under the table so they can seem to be in poverty. It is abused so widely. CHIP programs are important because babies cannot work.

Yet health insurance is available for as little as $200 per month for those willing to support themselves. Supporting ourselves is part of what it means to be American, not Italian, nor Canadian, nor Swedish, nor British. As a result, the taxes we pay on our income are so much less than elsewhere.

So the solution is "work." Brilliant. I work. Many people who work are not offered health insurance through their employers. I think the number is around 60%.

You are correct that a young, healthy person can get private insurance for less than $200 per month. For the rest of us, there is Medicaid or S-CHIP. And we will just have to put up with your smartas$ comments. Your attempt to stigmatize "us" will not stop me from getting insurance and taking care of my family. You do not shame me, and I hope that you do not shame the other millions of Americans who have been on the phone with dozens of private health insurance companies only to be told, "Sorry, I can't write you a policy." "You" don't know how many times "we" have cried because the private market won't write "us" a policy. Don't you think "we" WANT to take care of ourselves? Don't you think that "we" WANT to be independent and self-reliant. "We" pay taxes. "We" work. "We" want a system where everyone has an opportunity and a system that doesn't discriminate against the sick. I have lived under systems like this in Italy and England. They encourage entrepreneurs, risk-taking, job-changing. All pay taxes and all receive universal, national, health insurance coverage from the cradle to the grave.

But you want to teach people like "us" a lesson. We can only hope that people like you no longer run this country, so that "we" can build a system that is more just, fair, and lets everyone have a chance to live with dignity and security.

You really will have to pardon my ill-temper, but this is precisely the problem with insurance programs for the poor. They pit the poor against the middle class and make most taxpayers bitter about supporting non-working members of society. Your support for Medicare - "it's something you earn" - demonstrates why we need a national system available for everyone regardless of income, like in Europe...like Medicare. When everyone pays in and everyone gets insured, the middle class don't get so bitter about people who legitimately need help. All feel comfortable paying since they have insurance that they know they can't lose if times get tough or if they get deathly ill or if they lose their job. People are willing to pay because they value security.

I would also argue that we pay much more than Europeans for our health care. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is that it is a for-profit system. Doctors make more money (and avoid malpractice claims) the more complicated they make your case and the more tests they have to run and procedures they have to put you through. Meanwhile there is no incentive for insurance companies (payers) to invest in prevention, b/c they are only likely to insure someone for a few years of their life. There is a huge incentive to shift cost to the "next payer/insurer," which eventually is the government during the Medicare years.

Only a universal system that does not discriminate on the basis of illness or income will gain and maintain the support of all Americans. And end the middle class attacks against the poor, such as our fellow VJer Old Dominion has engaged in.