Applied for AOS. I have a medical question (merged)

[almost_umrican 53]

Hi. I came to US on a K1 visa. I married within 90 days and now I have applied for Adjustment of Status and the case is pending. After a month I came here I went to hospital due to fever in the middle of the night. I was taken to emergency. The nurse or the doctor checked me and gave me just two tablets and sent me home. A week ago I got a hefty bill of over $4000. I am now in a big problem. I want to get help to pay this off. Can I get Medi-Cal insurance to pay this bill? My wife in unemployed and I am waiting on my EAD card to start working. I am a qualified engineer and expect to make a good living but cant do that yet as I do not have my EAD yet. Please help!!!

i feel bad for you man. your best bet will be to have a payment setup with them. like pay $20/month.they will agree to it.let me tell you something that lot of people will not like. the cost of healthcare in the US is not worth the money it cost. just take your case. this is ridiculous that they sent you this. i haven been through that.sometime what they do is turn you over to collections and collections sometime offer you to settle the balance like 50% of what you owe. there is no escape to this.

[newacct 688]

Insurance is not retro-active and will not pay for treatment that happened prior to receiving insurance.

Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid) can be retroactive up to 3 months. Not sure if it has been too long though.

[inloveVEN 46]

if you both are in a lower level of incomes you probably can apply for madicaid. it work only in emergencies an allow you to buy medicine in a lower cost. you should visit the web pages of your city / state health plan´s to see your eligibility

[ManCharsey 254]

I am wondering how you got approved for a K-1 if your wife is not working. What does she do for insurance? When you go to a hospital, you are responsible for the bill. Lesson learned, not being a smart-a$$, go to a walk-in clinic, which is much cheaper, unless you are in a life or death situation. When you use a service, you are expected to pay. I'll bet the hospital will work with you on a payment plan. You need to call them, explain your case, and see if you can work out a payment plan.

Perhaps before you start judging you should take the time to read more carefully. OP said they had the fever in the middle of the night. These urgent care centers you talk about do not open 24/7. OP knows they are responsible for the bill, no need putting salt in their wound. If you ave nothing constructive to say, perhaps don't say a thing.

[pch1 64]

You or your wife should call the hospital and explain to them your financial situation. Most likely they will mail you forms to fill out and send back, and they might waive the fees, depending on financial status and copies of taxes, bank statement and all that you have to provide them.

[corrycorina 6]

I am here on B1/B2 and adjusting my status. I had an accident few month ago and now having around $5000 medical bill. I couldnt pay all at once so i spoke to the hospital about my intention to pay by installment of $100 each month. They accepted. You can try to talk to your hospital staff too.

[Cathi 5,610]

if you both are in a lower level of incomes you probably can apply for madicaid. it work only in emergencies an allow you to buy medicine in a lower cost. you should visit the web pages of your city / state health plan´s to see your eligibility

no, this is a means tested benefit and as a permanent resident he cannot apply for any means tested benefits.

[newacct 688]

no, this is a means tested benefit and as a permanent resident he cannot apply for any means tested benefits.

1. He is not a permanent resident yet, and any Affidavit of Support does not apply yet.

2. Emergency Medicaid is exempted from Affidavit of Support liabilities

3. Even if he is a permanent resident already (which he is not) and is getting a benefit that is not exempted from Affidavit of Support liabilities, the permanent resident is not under any restrictions or obligations whatsoever. The sponsor(s) is the only one who signed anything and it's only the sponsor who might be potentially liable for certain benefits the immigrant gets after becoming a permanent resident.

[Unidentified 2,930]

Perhaps before you start judging you should take the time to read more carefully. OP said they had the fever in the middle of the night. These urgent care centers you talk about do not open 24/7. OP knows they are responsible for the bill, no need putting salt in their wound. If you ave nothing constructive to say, perhaps don't say a thing.

Yeah for fevers you keep ibuprofen or acetaminophen at home or you take a cold shower. The ER is for having a heart attack or similar, fever is for drop in clinics and your general doctor in the morning when they open.

[Love To Teach 161]

Perhaps before you start judging you should take the time to read more carefully. OP said they had the fever in the middle of the night. These urgent care centers you talk about do not open 24/7. OP knows they are responsible for the bill, no need putting salt in their wound. If you ave nothing constructive to say, perhaps don't say a thing.

Before you start judging me, I did read the post. A fever in the middle of the night is not exactly a huge emergency. That's not a judgment, it's a fact. He didn't sound like he knew he was responsible. It sounds like he is trying to get it paid for by some other means. If everybody could come here and get free medical until they have a green card, they would be doing it. I think some folks play the "judgment" card way too much. Facts and realities are not the same as judgment.

I always assumed the Affidavit of Support becomes effective as soon as the person steps into the USA. Why would it wait and be started at a later date? I will have to add my husband to my insurance (at 400+ a month) in October since that is the only "open enrollment" time for my health insurance. And he probably won't be here for a long time. But I assume it's my responsibility to make sure he has health insurance when he gets here.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Love To Teach

[newacct 688]

Before you start judging me, I did read the post. A fever in the middle of the night is not exactly a huge emergency. That's not a judgment, it's a fact. He didn't sound like he knew he was responsible. It sounds like he is trying to get it paid for by some other means. If everybody could come here and get free medical until they have a green card, they would be doing it. I think some folks play the "judgment" card way too much. Facts and realities are not the same as judgment.

I always assumed the Affidavit of Support becomes effective as soon as the person steps into the USA. Why would it wait and be started at a later date? I will have to add my husband to my insurance (at 400+ a month) in October since that is the only "open enrollment" time for my health insurance. And he probably won't be here for a long time. But I assume it's my responsibility to make sure he has health insurance when he gets here.

The person entered the US on K-1 visa. K-1 is a non-immigrant visa and the only "affidavit of support" for those is the I-134 which is not legally binding. The legally binding Affidavit of Support, I-864, is only done as part of getting permanent residency, and only takes effect once that is approved and the person becomes a permanent resident.

[Love To Teach 161]

I just read the I-134 and nowhere does it say that it is NOT legally binding. In fact, it states that you could be sued to get back any money the immigrant costs the government. And K-1 is a non-immigrant visa? Then what is it? The way you are saying it, any person could come here and get US benefits and nobody is responsible for paying it back until they are a permanent resident. Never heard that one before....

[KayDeeCee 4,891]

The K-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa. This is why you must file to adjust your status to that of a permanent resident. Someone that enters on an immigrant visa, such as a spousal visa, does not need to file for AOS because they become a permanent resident once they enter the US via their IR-1/CR-1.

The I-134 is definitely not legally binding. The government cannot use the I-134 as a legal contract in order to sue the sponsor.

https://fam.state.gov/fam/09FAM/09FAM030208.html

(Previous Location: 9 FAM 40.41 N5.6-3 CT:VISA-1995; 06-06-2013)

(3) Use of Form I-134:

(a) Because INA 212(a)(4)© and INA 213A require the use of Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act, for so many classes of immigrants, the use of Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, has been reduced considerably. Nevertheless, there still are circumstances when Form I-134 will be beneficial. This affidavit, submitted by the applicant at your request, is not legally binding on the sponsor and should not be accorded the same weight as Form I-864. Form I-134 should be given consideration as one form of evidence, however, in conjunction with the other forms of evidence mentioned below.

[quesma 10]

Before you start judging me, I did read the post. A fever in the middle of the night is not exactly a huge emergency. That's not a judgment, it's a fact. He didn't sound like he knew he was responsible. It sounds like he is trying to get it paid for by some other means. If everybody could come here and get free medical until they have a green card, they would be doing it. I think some folks play the "judgment" card way too much. Facts and realities are not the same as judgment.

I always assumed the Affidavit of Support becomes effective as soon as the person steps into the USA. Why would it wait and be started at a later date? I will have to add my husband to my insurance (at 400+ a month) in October since that is the only "open enrollment" time for my health insurance. And he probably won't be here for a long time. But I assume it's my responsibility to make sure he has health insurance when he gets here.

Hello. I had vomiting which would not stop. I could not walk or breathe properly so I ended up in emergency at 3am in the night. Please dont judge. I did NOT go to Las Vegas and party and then expect the govt. to pay for that. If I was allowed to work (which I am currently not) I would do so and buy an insurance. I am a living and breathing human being. DMV wont issue me a licence becuase my visa says 3 months. I cant study. I cant work. I cant travel. I cant do anything. Am I a slave?

Edited June 20, 2016 by Quesma

[Unidentified 2,930]

Hello. I had vomiting which would not stop. I could not walk or breathe properly so I ended up in emergency at 3am in the night. Please dont judge. I did NOT go to Las Vegas and party and then expect the govt. to pay for that. If I was allowed to work (which I am currently not) I would do so and buy an insurance. I am a living and breathing human being. DMV wont issue me a licence becuase my visa says 3 months. I cant study. I cant work. I cant travel. I cant do anything. Am I a slave?

This is why it's so important that the petitioner has his/her finances in order before the beneficiary comes over so they won't find themselves in money issues before the beneficiary can start working.

Anyway you need to call the hospital, explain the situation and set up a plan to pay them back before you get into trouble.

Go to a drop in clinic next time, they are cheaper. There's also a lot of cheap insurance for people coming on different visas including k1. You should look into that.