Obamacare

[Coleman21 6]

Hi,

I'm not sure if I'm posting in the right category, so please feel free to move this topic.

Brief info about me that might affect my questions: I got my green card last August through marriage to an US citizen. We had no income, so we had my husband's stepfather as our joint sponsor. I'm lifting condition from my green card in less than 2 years. Right now I'm working part time, and my husband doesn't have a taxable job.

Anyway, right now I'm trying to look at health insurance because of Obama care, but as I saw some websites saying contradicting stuff, I got confused and thought I would ask here.

First of all, am I even required to get health insurance? Some websites said I am if I have been a permanent resident for 5 years. But others sound as if I am required as long as I am a lawful permanent resident.

Second, do I qualify for Medicaid? I read everywhere that I don't qualify for Medicaid other than emergency Medicaid, unless I have been an LPR for 5 years, but some articles and NY state health say NY state allows Medicaid to even undocumented immigrants. Besides, I was thinking that the 5 year ban might be removed because of Obama care. The big change in the health insurance system really confuses me. What about Family Plus? I don't see anywhere that I have to have been an LPR for 5 years to get Family Plus, but it won't be considered public charge??

By the way, I asked the questions to USCIS on the phone, but this man knew nothing about my questions, and told me to go to the obamacare website. I told him I had already gone there and was still confused, but he said USCIS is not liable for Obama care information. But I think it's important to check whatever information that affects us with people who really know about immigration, because there are people out there who receive food stamps when they are not supposed to, for example, and these people get such things because the agency does not know the rules for immigrants! I don't want to get health coverage and then get accused by USCIS that I broke immigrants' rules.

Thank you for any help!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Topic has been moved from Immigration News and Discussion forum to Moving Here and Your New Life in America forum as probably a better location to discuss this topic.

[anusarma 0]

In general you will have to purchase health insurance if you are a legal resident of the US but in some states you have to wait five years before being eligible for Obamacare or Medicaid. Check whether your state has this requirement.

Take a look at this article for information on how Obamacare affects Green Card holders -

http://www.ivisitorinsurance.com/visitors-health-insurance/obamacare-for-travelers-to-usa/.

[Umka36 781]

What kind of job does your husband have that makes it untaxable?

[Jen and Mikey 13]

Yes you have to get insurance. You are considered a permanent resident. If you are a green card holder, you will be asked for you Alien number to prove so.

Since you're in NY (from what your profile states) you should go to https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/ as NY has it's own Exchange/Marketplace

Qualifying for Medicaid depends on your income. Fill out an application and it will notify you instantly if you are eligible for Medicaid and if you are your info will be automatically sent to you local Medicaid office.

*Edit*

I work for the Health insurance Marketplace, as far as I know you do NOT have to wait 5 years for Medicaid or "Obamacare" the above poster is incorrect in that information. It is Medicare that has that stipulation.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Jen and Mikey

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

*Edit*

I work for the Health insurance Marketplace, as far as I know you do NOT have to wait 5 years for Medicaid or "Obamacare" the above poster is incorrect in that information. It is Medicare that has that stipulation.

Does the website work better now than November? I gave up in frustration after many hours/days of fighting it. I got registerd just fine, but could never get the list of insurers and plans to see what was available. Then it added my husband a second time and other mistakes but there was no way to delete husband v.2 or edit the erroneous data that appeared. I called the help desk several times but they couldn't really help. Do you think it would be better to start over under a new email address since I was told there was no way to delete the incorrect file and start fresh to get rid of the second version of my husband? We only need one person insured, not Husband1 and Husband2. I have insurance. Edited January 3, 2014 by Nich-Nick

[QueenOfBlades 224]

Yes you have to get insurance. You are considered a permanent resident. If you are a green card holder, you will be asked for you Alien number to prove so.

Since you're in NY (from what your profile states) you should go to https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/ as NY has it's own Exchange/Marketplace

Qualifying for Medicaid depends on your income. Fill out an application and it will notify you instantly if you are eligible for Medicaid and if you are your info will be automatically sent to you local Medicaid office.

*Edit*

I work for the Health insurance Marketplace, as far as I know you do NOT have to wait 5 years for Medicaid or "Obamacare" the above poster is incorrect in that information. It is Medicare that has that stipulation.

Does this apply to K1 people too? We were gonna look at enrolling after we're married in February, but I'm not sure if I am eligible if I don't have the GC yet and have only just moved here - especially as SC seems to be leading the fore in trying to gut Obamacare.

[Jen and Mikey 13]

Does the website work better now than November? I gave up in frustration after many hours/days of fighting it. I got registerd just fine, but could never get the list of insurers and plans to see what was available. Then it added my husband a second time and other mistakes but there was no way to delete husband v.2 or edit the erroneous data that appeared. I called the help desk several times but they couldn't really help. Do you think it would be better to start over under a new email address since I was told there was no way to delete the incorrect file and start fresh to get rid of the second version of my husband? We only need one person insured, not Husband1 and Husband2. I have insurance.

It works a million times better. Still has some bugs, but over all a vast improvement.

[Jen and Mikey 13]

Does this apply to K1 people too? We were gonna look at enrolling after we're married in February, but I'm not sure if I am eligible if I don't have the GC yet and have only just moved here - especially as SC seems to be leading the fore in trying to gut Obamacare.

TBH I am not 100% sure of that. I'm off until Wednesday, but will look if I can. There is a question in the application that asks if you are a US Citizen and when you say no, it does a drop down menu of options... I know Green Card is on it, but I'm not sure of the other options as I haven't really paid attn. to them.

[Coleman21 6]

sorry i hadn't been on here for a while. thank u all for answers. i found out that ny state allows medicaid to green card holders with less than five years of permanent residency.