Health Insurance for DV winners

[Niceb 2]

This might be a dumb reply by me, but can you not take travel insurance for say 6 months (from your home country) before you travel?

I'm in the UK, if I am intending to go for just a few months, is it better for me to take travel insurance from here before traveling? at least till I get a job in the US?

I wish that were possible but we are immigrating to the US, and I am already pregnant so I won't be covered. I don't want to end up with a massive medical debt that I will spend the rest of my life repaying. Hence why I am so anxious to get the issue resolved before we make the move. Are their specialist consultants that I can pay to get solid advice?

[agnesb 47]

You probably read it already but just in case... https://www.healthcare.gov/what-if-im-pregnant-or-plan-to-get-pregnant/. Also may be worth calling Planned Parenthhood and maybe ask at community.babycenter.com - i think i've seen some discussions about low cost clinics where the girls can go and get usual pregnancy care etc . If you decide to deliver in US and are not high risk pregnancy then you may want to consider midwife care and delivery at the birthing center which will be like half price of OB care and hospital delivery.

[agnesb 47]

Also http://www.phila.gov/health/services/Serv_Prenatal.html

http://philadelphia.thebeehive.org/health/paying-health-care/health-insurance-pregnant-women-and-infants-philadelphia

http://www.dhs.state.pa.us/foradults/healthcaremedicalassistance/healthybeginnings/index.htm

[Boiler 43,451]

I am wondering the same thing. I HAVE always paid for insurance through my work, which has been almost 26 years and like you it has not been free or cheap.

It baffles me why someone who claimed they had never claimed benefits their entire life, would think they could move to a new country and claim benefits now.

In all other first world countries it is considered more akin to a service. You would not say a new immigrant should not have say access to the Police as they have not paid in.

US is different.

OP needs someone familiar with Medicaid, Private Insurance, Tax issues, provision of care in the area she is moving to and probably a few things more.

Not sure such a person exists.

There is Emergency Medicaid for Pregnancy. No 5 year requirement etc. I seem to remember NYC does not have a 5 year requirement.

Sounds like it would be better for her to follow once Husband has landed a job, wherever that might be.

Edited January 10, 2015 by Boiler

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Seriously, did you not have medical insurance?

Healthy people get sick every day. How can Americans get by if the medical bills are so high? Has the ACA not put a stop to those insane costs?

He was on his own at the time working in a fast food place with no insurance.

[EM_Vandaveer 2,370]

Emergency Medicaid is different from normal Medicaid or Pregnancy Medicaid. Even "undocumented aliens" qualify for it if their income is below a certain amount. Labor & delivery counts as an "emergency" for purposes of Emergency Medicaid.

As for prenatal care, in TX there is CHIP Perinatal, green card holders qualify (no 5 year wait period) as long as they are low income, look for a similar program in your state, maybe?

[Britsimon 18]

I have just been granted my DV visa and am super excited about moving to the US. However, I am 4.5 months pregnant. It will take a least another two months to wrap everything up before we can make the move. My husband lost his job before Christmas so it makes sense to move sooner rather than later.

We are terrified about the medical costs in the US. As I will arrive when I am over six months pregnant I am not sure how I will obtain health insurance without a waiting period? I don't know where to go to get advice on this. I called the immigration centre in Philly and they didn't know. Also the various government websites seem to have conflicting information (some saying that pregnant women would be covered under Medicaid , others saying there is a six month or a five year waiting period. The insurance site says three months waiting period before coverage kicks in). I am really confused and don't mind paying someone for proper advice on this matter. Has anyone got any experience in this area or know who I can talk to?

OK - options.

1. Medicaid. Just be aware that this is basic coverage in a country where Heathcare is normally BIG business. So - you won't get the highest levels of service.
2. Obamacare. You can get it - pre existing conditions don't render you ineligible (one of the important changes of ACA). However if you did go for that you would be wise to choose the most expensive plan available because you are obviously going to use it and the most expensive plans have the lowest out of pocket expenses. However - it's going to be expensive, well - you will think so - Americans will tell you it's cheap compared to what they think Healthcare actually costs.
3. Get over here for an activation trip now, then turn right around and have the baby in the UK. You have to enter to activate the GC within 6 months, and your pregnancy will limit your flying pretty soon, so you would have to get a move on. However, once you have had the baby, obtain a passport for the child and there is a special process to give the baby a GC upon your re-entry to the States (within the first 2 years of the child and must be the first re-entry after the birth).

If you do option 3 you can also make sure you have a scout around, get some contacts and so on and get your SSN and GC ready for when you go back after the baby is born. So that would make things easier. I strongly suggest option 3 has merit - but you would need to do that asap.

[raven52 233]

At my last count, 34 states, have not set up state exchanges for Obamacare. Its all Federal for those residents.

Healthcare was supposed to go down an average of 2500. a year (average) per family.

I make no assertions, but look at what everyone is paying now. God help you if you get sick and have Obamacare.

I read of one post, of a 100K hospital bill, (just hospital) not counting doctors, etc.

I have a friend, married to Filipino, just had a child, (Obamacare) paid 14K deductible.

This is just my opinion, we have two more years under Obama, then a new President, health care will under-go great changes, one way or the other, the next 4 years.

To the OP, each state has different Medicaid laws, I would seek that information from, the state you will live in.

Good luck, and a happy, healthy child!

[Ryan H 3,791]

**Three off topic and nonresponsive posts removed; from this point forward, limit replies in this thread to answering the questions posed by the OP without extraneous commentary on a particular issue. Posts that go beyond answering the OP's questions will be removed and thread bans could also be imposed if warranted.**

Edited January 10, 2015 by Ryan H

[Niceb 2]

OK - options.

1. Medicaid. Just be aware that this is basic coverage in a country where Heathcare is normally BIG business. So - you won't get the highest levels of service.
2. Obamacare. You can get it - pre existing conditions don't render you ineligible (one of the important changes of ACA). However if you did go for that you would be wise to choose the most expensive plan available because you are obviously going to use it and the most expensive plans have the lowest out of pocket expenses. However - it's going to be expensive, well - you will think so - Americans will tell you it's cheap compared to what they think Healthcare actually costs.
3. Get over here for an activation trip now, then turn right around and have the baby in the UK. You have to enter to activate the GC within 6 months, and your pregnancy will limit your flying pretty soon, so you would have to get a move on. However, once you have had the baby, obtain a passport for the child and there is a special process to give the baby a GC upon your re-entry to the States (within the first 2 years of the child and must be the first re-entry after the birth).

If you do option 3 you can also make sure you have a scout around, get some contacts and so on and get your SSN and GC ready for when you go back after the baby is born. So that would make things easier. I strongly suggest option 3 has merit - but you would need to do that asap.

Thanks, that is super advice from the above and all the others who have chipped in. I am seriously considering option three (I've already registered in Ireland, just in case). I just figured it would be harder to move with a baby with no place to live rather than just the two of us now. I will try and take a trip over to the US in the next month or so to suss everything out. If I can find an affordable way to have the baby in the US, I will, and report back here on how I did it. If not, option three is the fall back plan.

To the poster who mentioned about claiming benefits. It was never my intention. I have always paid for private health insurance, but in other countries it is affordable and the deductions are low. I will be at least six months pregnant when I arrive in the US so the chances of someone hiring me before the baby is born are pretty slim.My husband is Brazilian. Although he is very educated with good work experience, English is not his first language so it might take him a while to find his feet and get a job. While that is happening we need to conserve the savings we are bringing with us to live and pay bills. Paying $12k to give birth will drastically reduce our survival money.

[kzielu 1,147]

With the plan above, figure out how you're going to bring back baby - both of you are going to be residents, he/she will not...

[Niceb 2]

With the plan above, figure out how you're going to bring back baby - both of you are going to be residents, he/she will not...

Yes, that is a very important point. I would rather that the baby was an American citizen from the start. I am going to fully investigate the Obamacare/Medicaid routes as my first two options. If I can't find an affordable solution to give birth, I will get legal advice on the baby's status if we have to go with option three .

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Call local hospitals in the area you are going to live. Find out their going rates. After whatever coverage you get pays their share you will have to work out a payment plan for the remaining amount. It took my son about a decade to pay off his share of the bills. He was able to get assistance for about 80% . Compare birthing centers to classic hospitals if you aren't expecting complications.

[seanjoe 1]

Hi,

I know I mentioned this earlier and excluding the case of pregnancy above, why can't I take travel insurance from the UK as a DV winner. I intend to come to the US for say 2 months, and look for a job. The time I am looking for a job, is it not better to be staying with my UK based travel insurance for health?

Please advise.

[kzielu 1,147]

Hi,

I know I mentioned this earlier and excluding the case of pregnancy above, why can't I take travel insurance from the UK as a DV winner. I intend to come to the US for say 2 months, and look for a job. The time I am looking for a job, is it not better to be staying with my UK based travel insurance for health?

Please advise.

All your insurer - typically they have a clause saying it is for travel only. Second you cross US border, you're a US resident which gives them easy way to decline any claims.

So talk to them...