Getting Husband On My Health Insurance

[Pookah 0]

My workplace indicated that my husband needs to get a letter from the NHS or his doctor to indicate that upon moving to the USA he can't utilize NHS and thus qualifies to get on my insurance mid-year via life event (losing coverage.) Anyone ever have to do this? Who do you think can write such a letter? He isn't losing coverage really he just can't very well go to Scotland in the future when he has a cold.

Personally I think it is stupid, clearly moving here in and of itself means he will have "lost" his coverage.

Edited December 27, 2012 by Pookah

[Darnell 8,478]

there are other 'life-events' that qualify.

Having a foreign spouse IMMIGRATE into the USA is one of those 'life-events'.

I'd say the folk that gave you 'that option' are tossers, wankers extreme.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Is your husband leaving his job ? Change of spousal employment is usually on the life events list

[Pookah 0]

He currently does seasonal work along with school full time and might do some school related interning before coming here. So I am not sure if that could be a possible angle.

I think maybe I might try speaking with the insurance directly rather than my HR department and see what they say.

Thanks for your responses.

[Darnell 8,478]

Ya, seems the communication breakdown is with the HR goon.

Your insurance carrier should deem 'immigration' as a life-event, in and of itself, with no thought to loss of coverage elsewhere.

I say don't worry about this till your spouse comes to USA on that visa, and has a SSN issued by SSA. Then, and only then, chase after health insurance through your carrier.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

My workplace indicated that my husband needs to get a letter from the NHS or his doctor to indicate that upon moving to the USA he can't utilize NHS and thus qualifies to get on my insurance mid-year via life event (losing coverage.) Anyone ever have to do this? Who do you think can write such a letter? He isn't losing coverage really he just can't very well go to Scotland in the future when he has a cold.

Personally I think it is stupid, clearly moving here in and of itself means he will have "lost" his coverage.

I was the spouse beneficiary on insurance for decades. Yearly at the annual open enrollment where you can change coverage, there was a form included that had to be returned before January, even if no changes were chosen on the coverage. It was basically a signed statement saying that I was not eligible for coverage by another insurer. My husband signed it as the employee. That's likely all you will need to do. If we dallied around and didn't send it, insurance was denied on the first claim in the new year until they received the form. The insurance companies make the spouse use coverage (if offered) by their own employer as their primary insurer....meaning you can't choose to use the spouse's over taking something available as an employee of a company offering insurance. Sounds like your insurance has the same rules. The insurance company should take a signed statement from you. Do you happen to get a benefits package around November? See if there is something inside like that to sign. We used to overlook it until they started putting it as the first page in the packet with big bold PLEASE NOTE written on it.

[pgmsc 3]

I had a bit of a headache with getting my husband on, too, but finally got it done. The carriers don't need to have a SSN (they have to add the person manually, but a person is not required to have a SSN and they can't deny someone for that). I also had the problem about the NHS coverage, but my HR person got on the phone with them and explained the life change was immigration, used my husband's POE date as the effective date, and told the carrier that he was previously covered under the UK's national plan. She finally got it through, so a bit of a pain but can be done. If your HR person doesn't get it, try calling the insurance company directly, or see if there is a way to get in touch with your company's insurance representative directly.

[Teddy B 17,252]

He currently does seasonal work along with school full time and might do some school related interning before coming here. So I am not sure if that could be a possible angle.

I think maybe I might try speaking with the insurance directly rather than my HR department and see what they say.

Thanks for your responses.

Most HR departments are clueless about how the new health insurance works. You should either have HR contact the insurance company, or do it yourself. Also Darnell was correct in that your marriage to your husband and his moving here is a life changing event. Good Luck.

[Darnell 8,478]

Uncle Darnell Say

repeat for emphasis:

Immigration is a life event.

Use the word in a sentence, when speaking with yer insurance carrier.

It, alone, sufficies.

Immigration is a life event.

[david'sgirl 134]

My workplace indicated that my husband needs to get a letter from the NHS or his doctor to indicate that upon moving to the USA he can't utilize NHS and thus qualifies to get on my insurance mid-year via life event (losing coverage.) Anyone ever have to do this? Who do you think can write such a letter? He isn't losing coverage really he just can't very well go to Scotland in the future when he has a cold.

Personally I think it is stupid, clearly moving here in and of itself means he will have "lost" his coverage.

The life changing event for my husband was listed as our marriage. I added him before he lived here. I responded to the HIPAA certificate of credible coverage by stating that yes, my husband has had continuous coverage under the NHS until he moved here. Under the new The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), (aka Obamacare)there is no more "Pre-existing conditions" so it should not matter.

If you have family coverage you should be able to add your husband based on a change in status (your marriage). It is not necessary for him to prove he lost coverage as that is not the qualifying event but your change in family status would be one.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

The life changing event for my husband was listed as our marriage. I added him before he lived here. I responded to the HIPAA certificate of credible coverage by stating that yes, my husband has had continuous coverage under the NHS until he moved here. Under the new The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), (aka Obamacare)there is no more "Pre-existing conditions" so it should not matter.

If you have family coverage you should be able to add your husband based on a change in status (your marriage). It is not necessary for him to prove he lost coverage as that is not the qualifying event but your change in family status would be one.

I've read that while "pre-existing" restrictions might no longer exist, there's no restriction on raising fees due to them, or having a long wait time (12 months for certain conditions like pregnancy for example).

So, as always, very impt to read the fine print!