Medicaid for pregnant woman with 864 affidavit

[Marta Proniagina 119]

Hello everyone. I'm looking for some help regarding my situation. My situation might be a little confusing but maybe someone dealt with anything like this. 
I am a green card holder, got married to my husband (USC) under k1 visa earlier this year. 

I am currently pregnant and uninsured. 

On november 1st we applied for Marketplace insurance and stated only my husband's income (I have started a part time job with unstable hours the same day and as I haven't received any paycheck yet) and the marketplace said I might be eligible for medicaid. I called the medicaid and they said i should apply and see the results. So, I did that and a week later we calculated that my husbands' income is going to be higher than we stated in both marketplace and medicaid applications plus I have found out more about my job's hours so I could predicts some income). I called both of the agencies, and they changed our income info which made me eligible for a marketplace insurance. However, yesterday I found out that I got eligible for the medicaid as well (even though our income is slightly higher than their guidelines and I have written a comment about the affidavit of support). So, now I am very confused on what to do. Because marketplace says as soon as I am eligible for medicaid, i lose eligibility for marketplace premiums. And medicaid might be bad for me and my husband because of the affidavit and future ROC and citizenship process.

Any ideas on what to do now? All the contact centers are closed due to the holiday and I am just being super nervous about this situation. Wish I just never sent the medicaid application but I also was rather positive that I'll be denied because of the income.

[dwheels76 5,459]

7 minutes ago, Marta Proniagina said:

Hello everyone. I'm looking for some help regarding my situation. My situation might be a little confusing but maybe someone dealt with anything like this. 
I am a green card holder, got married to my husband (USC) under k1 visa earlier this year. 

I am currently pregnant and uninsured. 

On november 1st we applied for Marketplace insurance and stated only my husband's income (I have started a part time job with unstable hours the same day and as I haven't received any paycheck yet) and the marketplace said I might be eligible for medicaid. I called the medicaid and they said i should apply and see the results. So, I did that and a week later we calculated that my husbands' income is going to be higher than we stated in both marketplace and medicaid applications plus I have found out more about my job's hours so I could predicts some income). I called both of the agencies, and they changed our income info which made me eligible for a marketplace insurance. However, yesterday I found out that I got eligible for the medicaid as well (even though our income is slightly higher than their guidelines and I have written a comment about the affidavit of support). So, now I am very confused on what to do. Because marketplace says as soon as I am eligible for medicaid, i lose eligibility for marketplace premiums. And medicaid might be bad for me and my husband because of the affidavit and future ROC and citizenship process.

Any ideas on what to do now? All the contact centers are closed due to the holiday and I am just being super nervous about this situation. Wish I just never sent the medicaid application but I also was rather positive that I'll be denied because of the income.

You don't qualify for Medicaid.

[Marta Proniagina 119]

2 minutes ago, dwheels76 said:

You don't qualify for Medicaid.

But i've already got the notice of approval. So now if I decide not to use it, I still won't be able to get Obamacare. Am I right?

[Unlockable 7,306]

Why did you even apply for Medicaid? Those ppl on Marketplace insurance are not immigration experts. They are simply a point of contact person who get their information from prewritten scripts.

 

You said you knew you would be denied so why even apply when you know that you can't become a public charge? That is the whole point of the affidavit of support.

 

But to answer your question, you should still be eligible for ACA. Contact the medicaid personnel to inform them that you would not be taking it if you want to get ACA.

[bakphx1 785]

Trump has been talking about denying green cards to immigrants using Medicaid or subsidized ACA premiums.  I don’t know where that idea is in terms of going into effect, but I would research that extremely closely before proceeding.  Also remember your husband signed forms saying you wouldn’t take public benefits.  This doesn’t stop people from being enrolled, but they sometimes chase the sponsor down for reimbursement.  It could also have implications at citizenship.  Not under current rule, but that seems to be the goal.

 

I would check self pay maternity packages that can be pretty reasonable if you think that your pregnancy is uncomplicated.  I wouldn’t go on the public assistance radar.

Edited November 12, 2018 by bakphx1

[Marta Proniagina 119]

1 minute ago, bakphx1 said:

Trump has been talking about denying green cards to immigrants using Medicaid or subsidized ACA premiums.  I don’t know where that idea is in terms of going into effect, but I would research that extremely closely before proceeding.  Also remember your husband signed forms saying you wouldn’t take public benefits.  This doesn’t stop people from being enrolled, but they sometimes chase the sponsor down for reimbursement.  It could also have implications at citizenship.

 

I would check self pay maternity packages that can be pretty reasonable if you think that your pregnancy is uncomplicated.  I wouldn’t go on the public assistance radar.

Unfortunately, our hospital does not really have maternity packages. and we live in a small area with limited access to providers within the driving distance. so, marketplace sounds as a better option to me under current circumstances. I just hope that I would still qualify for their premiums...

[Boiler 43,394]

Medicaid normally you have to be here for 5 years, couple of exceptions.  Emergency Medicaid is different. Which State do you live in? 

[TheAkazs 22]

That's why you shouldn't apply for Medicaid after u signed DS-260 saying you wouldn't be a public charge. When u are a GC holder, u can't apply for any government public assistance. U have to wait until u are a USC to apply for it. 

 

There's options to find medical insurance to meet ur income. 

 

My husband who is a GC holder and just applied for his own medical insurance that will be deducted from his paychecks. None from government public assistance. We don't want the government going after the joint sponsors to pay back if my husband applies for public assistance. 

[Marta Proniagina 119]

9 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Medicaid normally you have to be here for 5 years, couple of exceptions.  Emergency Medicaid is different. Which State do you live in? 

I'm in Nebraska. They give medicaid to LPRs at any time. especially if pregnant

6 minutes ago, TheAkazs said:

That's why you shouldn't apply for Medicaid after u signed DS-260 saying you wouldn't be a public charge. When u are a GC holder, u can't apply for any government public assistance. U have to wait until u are a USC to apply for it. 

 

There's options to find medical insurance to meet ur income. 

 

My husband who is a GC holder and just applied for his own medical insurance that will be deducted from his paychecks. None from government public assistance. We don't want the government going after the joint sponsors to pay back if my husband applies for public assistance. 

Now I get it.. I  wish I didn't apply.

[Boiler 43,394]

8 minutes ago, Marta Proniagina said:

I'm in Nebraska. They give medicaid to LPRs at any time. especially if pregnant

Now I get it.. I  wish I didn't apply.

http://enroll-ne.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Enroll-NE-Immigrant-Eligibility-Guide-4.16.pdf

 

You can read for yourself.

[Marta Proniagina 119]

2 minutes ago, Boiler said:

http://enroll-ne.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Enroll-NE-Immigrant-Eligibility-Guide-4.16.pdf

 

You can read for yourself.

There are exceptions to the five-year bar.11 These include:

• 1) Refugees, asylees, and LPRs who used to be refugees or asylees; veterans, active duty military, and their families

• 2) Certain trafficking victims

• 3) “Lawfully residing” pregnant women and children (see ICHIA below)
 

[geowrian 22,335]

From the link above:

"Five-Year Bar

Some qualified immigrants who entered the U.S. after 1996 must wait for a period of five years before they are eligible for Medicaid; this is known as “the five-year bar.” Except as discussed below, qualified immigrants must wait five years after receiving a qualified immigration status before they are eligible for Medicaid and CHIP coverage

...

Legal Immigrant Children’s Health Improvement Act (ICHIA)

Lawfully residing pregnant women and children are exempt from the five-year bar if they meet the following eligibility requirements. Applicants must:

• Be immigrant children or pregnant women;

• Otherwise meet state Medicaid and CHIP eligibility requirements (i.e., income, etc);

• Be “lawfully present” in the U.S. This includes “qualified immigrants” (discussed above) and a number of additional lawfully present categories listed in 8 C.F.R. 103.12(a); and

• Be a Nebraska resident."

 

1 hour ago, Marta Proniagina said:

I am currently pregnant and uninsured. 

And there is the underlying root of the problem.

Edited November 12, 2018 by geowrian

[debbiedoo 2,339]

well, birth control is cheaper than insurance or babies but too late for that memo. 😕

 

I would not, under ANY circumstances, accept the medicaid. Get on your husbands insurance (should have been there anyways) or buy your own. With the current leanings towards making it harder for those who have taken any form of public assistance to obtain ROC or citizenship, I would stay far far away from it. If already approved, go back to the office and say you want to cancel it IMMEDIATELY. don't use it at ALL.

[ThomasNC1988 762]

I don't really see any reason not to take it if you were approved so long as you were truthful on your application. Most important thing is to get decent healthcare for you and the child of a USC. Trump said this of that blah blah blah. Show us a case where someone had a negative outcome and we can compare. I-864 is pretty much an honor system document.

[Ash.1101 1,755]

Note that while the people who do the medicaid papers aren't up to speed with immigration, there can also be a lot of holes that get fallen through.

I had medicaid as a USC, for the first year of having it, they didn't even ask for any form of identification. Nothing was signed, everything was over the phone and online. When I went to renew medicaid, they realized they didn't have a photo ID or anything proving I was who I was, yet they totally just gave it all to me for a year.


As others have said, get on your husbands insurance or purchase through the market place. Don't risk getting medicaid, it's not worth it.