Health Insurance/Open Enrollment during AOS

[thebrokenwindow 1]

I have read a few posts regarding situations where people who came on K-1 VISA's were not able to enrol in marketplace exchange healthcare because they waited past their I-94 dates.

 

When I arrived in July on my K-1 VISA, I applied for and received my SSN and, at the time, I also enrolled in health coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield.

 

However, my particular situation/concern is that the marketplace is about to undergo an open enrollment period on November 1st. I received a notice saying that I will then have to potentially change plans or, if permissible, I may be able to keep my current plan. However, the issue I have is by that point I will have no legal documentation to support my stay here in the U.S. as my I-94 will have expired on October 7th. 

 

In addition, my husband is covered through VA coverage and so he is not able to add me to his, as he is not currently active duty and so coverage does not apply to dependents you acquired and would have added after discharge from active.

 

So my question is, do I just lose coverage and then at this point I am forced to pay the fee for not having healthcare? even though I purchased health care but lost it through no fault of my own? Does anybody have any experience with this or any alternatives where people have obtained health insurance without and I-94?

[Ontarkie 14,280]

~~Moved to Moving Here and Your New Life, from AOS Family - As health insurance is discussed here often.~~

[Umka36 781]

On ‎9‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 4:29 PM, thebrokenwindow said:

I have read a few posts regarding situations where people who came on K-1 VISA's were not able to enrol in marketplace exchange healthcare because they waited past their I-94 dates.

 

When I arrived in July on my K-1 VISA, I applied for and received my SSN and, at the time, I also enrolled in health coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield.

 

However, my particular situation/concern is that the marketplace is about to undergo an open enrollment period on November 1st. I received a notice saying that I will then have to potentially change plans or, if permissible, I may be able to keep my current plan. However, the issue I have is by that point I will have no legal documentation to support my stay here in the U.S. as my I-94 will have expired on October 7th. 

 

In addition, my husband is covered through VA coverage and so he is not able to add me to his, as he is not currently active duty and so coverage does not apply to dependents you acquired and would have added after discharge from active.

 

So my question is, do I just lose coverage and then at this point I am forced to pay the fee for not having healthcare? even though I purchased health care but lost it through no fault of my own? Does anybody have any experience with this or any alternatives where people have obtained health insurance without and I-94?

Did file your AOS? If so, did you get a Notice of Action (I-797) for the AOS?

 

"Notice of Action (I-797), you’ll need your alien registration number (also called USCIS number) or your I-94 number from your document. Notices of Action (I-797s) are communication from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service about immigration benefits. I-797s can be used for different purposes, like an approval notice, receipt notice, or a replacement for an I-94. Sometimes these notices have other documents attached to them, like I-360s (petitions for Amerasian, widow(er), or special immigrant statuses). If you’ve been issued a new immigration benefit or had the duration of your stay in the U.S. extended, you’ll be issued an I-797 with a tear-away I-94 at the bottom. You should enter your I-94 number."

 

https://www.healthcare.gov/help/immigration-document-types/

Edited October 2, 2018 by Umka36

[thebrokenwindow 1]

Yes, I did file but no I have not received the noa yet.

 

My insurance company lists the acceptable forms of immigration documents and one of them is i-797. However, there are multiple versions of the 797 for different types of VISAs and I am not sure if the notice of action for the aos would be accepted. I called my insurance for clarification but to be honest, nobody had any clue.

[Umka36 781]

3 minutes ago, thebrokenwindow said:

Yes, I did file but no I have not received the noa yet.

 

My insurance company lists the acceptable forms of immigration documents and one of them is i-797. However, there are multiple versions of the 797 for different types of VISAs and I am not sure if the notice of action for the aos would be accepted. I called my insurance for clarification but to be honest, nobody had any clue.

My understanding is that once you file the AOS and receive the I-797 you should be eligible for ACA coverage.

 

Applicants for any of these statuses qualify to use the Marketplace:

• Temporary Protected Status with Employment Authorization
• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
• Victim of Trafficking Visa
• Adjustment to LPR Status

https://www.healthcare.gov/immigrants/immigration-status/

[thebrokenwindow 1]

I certainly hope so! That would be good news.

 

Either way, once I receive the notice I will try and submit and hope for the best. 

[Sarah&Facundo 595]

My  husband is also adjusting his status and is on the ACA with me. If you submitted your AOS packet, you should have your NOA1 within a few weeks. Open enrollment goes all the way through about December 15th. 

[thebrokenwindow 1]

Oh ok, that's good. I wasn't sure if I was going to have to wait for the EAD which will take months.