Medical Insurance for parents

[gagan_usa 5]

Hello VJ'ers,

 

My parents will be immigrating with us here in the US in couple of days. I just want to see what are my options as far as their medical insurance is concerned. How do I get it? Is there any website through which I need to apply for that? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Unlockable 7,306]

This is definitely something you should investigated long before 2 days before their arrival.

 

Your options are...

They pay for private premium insurance out of pocket.

They can get insurance through ACA aka ObamaCare.

 

Insurance in America (especially for the elderly) is NOT cheaper. Most immigrants suffer sticker shock when they get quotes. We have seen members on here who have shared some of the quotes they receive for their parents and it was anywhere in between $700 to $1500 a month. Hopefully you can find something cheaper.

 

They do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid.

Edited February 6, 2018 by NuestraUnion

[MrsKhan 84]

What age is considered elderly?  We are in our early  40s and 50s. Will that be high too? Sorry for interrupting in your post. 

[acidrain 325]

One of our family members needed Obamacare for a few months before their Medicare kicked in. The sticker price was $880/month! That was only 80/20 coverage. The crazy part that is considered "affordable". With rates skyrocketing I'm sure the price would be pushing $1,000/month now. Good luck.

Edited February 7, 2018 by acidrain

[CEE53147 559]

22 hours ago, MrsKhan said:

What age is considered elderly?  We are in our early  40s and 50s. Will that be high too? Sorry for interrupting in your post. 

Elderly is 65.  If you are in your 40s and 50s, you should expect to work. Retirement age is 66 and going up. Many work into their 70s at least part time in low physically demanding jobs.  Some employers offer insurance that employees can purchase ususually with an employer contribution. If offered, it will be better than what you can purchase privately.

 

Even if you have been allowed to retire in your home country, you should expect to contribute here.

[MrsKhan 84]

1 hour ago, CEE53147 said:

Elderly is 65.  If you are in your 40s and 50s, you should expect to work. Retirement age is 66 and going up. Many work into their 70s at least part time in low physically demanding jobs.  Some employers offer insurance that employees can purchase ususually with an employer contribution. If offered, it will be better than what you can purchase privately.

 

Even if you have been allowed to retire in your home country, you should expect to contribute here.

Oh yes of course we are fit healthy and working and will work in U.S. too.

[CEE53147 559]

You should expect to have a delay of several months before health insurance is available at many companies.  If you purchase individual insurance and then are able to get it via your employer, you will be able to cancel the individual and not have to pay for two policies.  Be sure you do this at the earliest possible time to make sure you do not miss any deadlines.  Pay careful attention to the physician networks in your area. Some of the lesser known companies will not have many available.  Even if more expensive, you may be better off going with one of the big name companies in your area. Or you may be like my son and have only one company with a choice of a dozen plans.

[Ontarkie 13,962]

~~Moved to Moving here and Your New Life, from Bringing Family Of USC - As the OP is asking about medical insurance not the visa process.~~

[Boiler 43,757]

OP does not seem to have come back but the process is basically the same as for their cover, so they should make sure that the benefit package comes with Health Insurance that meets their needs.

[gagan_usa 5]

Thank you all for your valuable input. I went through different forums and found out that they may need to get Patriot America insurance. Is anyone familiar with this? Are there any other options as well? My parents won't be working here and will be staying for 4 months as of now. They will return back to the home country to finish some legal things and then come back here for good. Dad is 58 & mom is 53 years old.

[Boiler 43,757]

Patriot America is not good.

 

Common for people to visit and activate GC set themselves up, go back and then make the big move so as long as they are not gone too long not an issue.

 

Best to but Travel Insurance in their local market.

 

Will they be job hunting during their first visit?

[gagan_usa 5]

No they will not be doing any job hunting. It's more like a leisure trip for them and first time in the US. Like I said they will go back in 4 months. Can they buy travel insurance? I didn't know about that. I thought travel insurance is only for the people on visitor visa and if you have green card, you need to buy the actual insurance irrespective of the length of your stay. I'm confused.

Edited February 8, 2018 by gagan_usa
missed "not"

[Boiler 43,757]

Well they need to be resident in whatever State they live in to buy annual Health Insurance, they can not get that sorted from India.

 

There is also the issue of the tax penalty so it becomes a calculation which is most cost effective.

 

You can talk to them about their responsibilities bit something they need to decide themselves,. Obviously will have plenty of time to do some research.

 

They could be USC's living overseas and still buy travel insurance when visiting the US, there first trip is a visit, you said they are not moving this time.

 

 

[gagan_usa 5]

They will be staying with us in Tennessee state. I will be paying for their insurance, so I need to figure it out. Actually, they are arriving today. I'm not sure how many days I get after their arrival to have the insurance started. Is they any deadline? And if you think that travel insurance is the way to go, I might opt that. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks for your help so far.

[Boiler 43,757]

Even if you are paying for it, Travel Insurance is something you buy well before you visit.

 

My Mother was much older but something that she sorted out before her visit, due to age issues, she was in her 80's got really expensive.

 

No idea if it is possible to buy now, not familiar with the Indian market.

 

As far as Health Insurance is concerned look on the State Exchange.