Can I apply for free health care before AOS?

[bjaminh 0]

Hey All,

USCIS received my application for AOS, EAD, and AP about a month ago. I recently needed to receive some basic medical attention in a hospital. They have given me the option to apply for free healthcare as a family along with my wife. I think we will qualify, but I'm concerned that this will in some way violate the conditions of my status. The free healthcare is issued through LSU (Louisiana State University).

Does anyone know?

Thanks so much!

[Penguin_ie 5,987]

If it is medicaid then no, you can't.

But this seems to be some sort of insurance via the university? Then it is up to their rules.

[bjaminh 0]

If it is medicaid then no, you can't.

But this seems to be some sort of insurance via the university? Then it is up to their rules.

I asked where the funding comes from and they said that it is governmental... perhaps only state government not federal? It's not medicaid.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hey All,

USCIS received my application for AOS, EAD, and AP about a month ago. I recently needed to receive some basic medical attention in a hospital. They have given me the option to apply for free healthcare as a family along with my wife. I think we will qualify, but I'm concerned that this will in some way violate the conditions of my status. The free healthcare is issued through LSU (Louisiana State University).

Does anyone know?

Thanks so much!

You need to figure out which programs will be paying for your free healthcare. It doesn't matter if LSU is the provider. LSU is not paying for your free healthcare; LSU is being reimbursed by these programs.

If a means based benefit is paying for your free healthcare, then your sponsors are liable for paying these costs back to the government.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Hospitals want to get bills paid - they don't care about your immigration status. You are not eligible for such benefits - even after you get your Greencard. Tell them no.

[jac_chappin 24]

Op - I would be careful with this. I recall there is a question on one of the forms for AOS that asks about receiving assistance from government. I took my wife to planned parenthood before I added her to my insurance and the said we could get free services but declined due to fear it would come back to hunt us.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hey All,

USCIS received my application for AOS, EAD, and AP about a month ago. I recently needed to receive some basic medical attention in a hospital. They have given me the option to apply for free healthcare as a family along with my wife. I think we will qualify, but I'm concerned that this will in some way violate the conditions of my status. The free healthcare is issued through LSU (Louisiana State University).

Does anyone know?

Thanks so much!

If it is a private type of charity for that hospital, yes, no problem. If it is a government means tested benefit, then NO your WIFE cannot.

YOU as a US citizen are never prevented from receiving means tested benefits. BUT you have to show you can support your wife and that could be a problem.

The local hosptial here has a private charitable fund whichis supported by the University of Vermont. This sounds like what you are being offered and this WOULD be OK for you and your wife.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hospitals want to get bills paid - they don't care about your immigration status. You are not eligible for such benefits - even after you get your Greencard. Tell them no.

The I-864 forbids receiving certain benefits, NOT ALL. The OP needs to check very carefully where this funding is coming from. It is very rare for states to fund something like this with no federal help and then it IS Medicaid. Medicaid is administeredby the states and the states have their own "names" for their programs which are largely funded by the feds. Carefully check what this is and what is allowed under the I-864

Our local hospital DOES have a private charitable fund and I am sure others do. The funding is not from the government, it is by voluntary contributions and from the University of Vermont Medical School. It is one of only two charities Alla and I support.

[Scafidi454 22]

Wouldn't this also go against your prventing your wife from becoming a public charge? I mean, guess it wouldn't matter unless you two were divorced, but it will still affect your proof of support I think, especially if it goes through the government.

[Penguin_ie 5,987]

YOU as a US citizen are never prevented from receiving means tested benefits. BUT you have to show you can support your wife and that could be a problem.

From my understanding, he is the foreigner and the wife is the USC.

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

If its a private charity then yes. Here in NH we have NH Health Access which is a charity that hospitals and doctors participate in. Its based on a sliding fee basis....and is not a government program. Definitely look into what the "free" care is before applying.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Most states have programs for Medically Indigent Adults (MIA's). These are people whose income is too high for Medicaid, but too low for private health insurance. These programs are operated at the state, county, or municipal level. LSU is the primary provider of these services in Louisiana. The income threshold for LSU's programs is 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, which qualifies the program as a means tested public benefit. A permanent resident would not be considered a "public charge" for using an MIA program for temporary or emergency medical treatment, but if the immigrant is sponsored then the sponsor could be held liable to reimburse the state for the costs of the care.

Programs for MIA's are generally considered to be the option of last resort. This means you should exhaust all other possibilities before accepting medical care under an MIA program.

[bjaminh 0]

@Queen Penguin

Thanks for acknowledging this. I realize that the majority of cases on VJ are males marrying foreign females, however, I am a foreign husband.

[nurse1967 287]

This is America. There is NO FREE HEALTHCARE.

[james&olya 1,121]

If you need medical care then definitely go ahead and get it! As to paying for it, you are probably a lot better off receiving it even through medicaid as opposed to being a 'cash' customer. What they charge cash paying customers is usually many times higher than what medicaid will pay for those services. Reimbursing medicaid is a whole lot cheaper than paying cash directly to the hospital!