Health insurance pregnancy

[Mrsjackson 300]

Hi all, 

 

My husband is self employed and we are not currently insured. Bad I know. We’ve been shopping around for plans but need to pull the trigger on one now because we’re expecting another baby. So I’m hoping to confirm that my pregnancy is not a preexisting condition. That’s my understanding. Does anyone know a good health insurance plan in the state of Washington? 

[Russ&Caro 1,548]

Just google "Washington State Health Insurance Exchange" then follow the most relevant link to the site where you can apply online. They'll give you all the insurance options in Washington State including Medicaid, which you might qualify for. The site should tell you whether you can obtain insurance immediately. It will depend on your life circumstances such as a recent move to the United States or a job change. Good luck.

[payxibka 10,044]

56 minutes ago, Mrsjackson said:

Hi all, 

 

My husband is self employed and we are not currently insured. Bad I know. We’ve been shopping around for plans but need to pull the trigger on one now because we’re expecting another baby. So I’m hoping to confirm that my pregnancy is not a preexisting condition. That’s my understanding. Does anyone know a good health insurance plan in the state of Washington? 

Hasn't been for many many many years 

[Mrsjackson 300]

18 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Hasn't been for many many many years 

The preexisting condition thing. Awesome. 

39 minutes ago, Russ&Caro said:

Just google "Washington State Health Insurance Exchange" then follow the most relevant link to the site where you can apply online. They'll give you all the insurance options in Washington State including Medicaid, which you might qualify for. The site should tell you whether you can obtain insurance immediately. It will depend on your life circumstances such as a recent move to the United States or a job change. Good luck.

But as an immigrant I thought I was not to touch Medicaid? Isn’t that a means-tested benefit? 

[payxibka 10,044]

21 minutes ago, Mrsjackson said:

The preexisting condition thing. Awesome. 

But as an immigrant I thought I was not to touch Medicaid? Isn’t that a means-tested benefit? 

The exchange is a health insurance marketplace 

[Mrsjackson 300]

28 minutes ago, payxibka said:

The exchange is a health insurance marketplace 

Do I qualify to use marketplace? I have submitted my AOS petition but it is in process. I do not have a green card to show. I have the NOA1 of course. And using the health insurance marketplace would not be breaking any immigration rules? Sorry I’m not very well versed on the health care system in the US.  I should be there is no excuse.  I’ll be learning about it now though haha. In Canada it’s just all free 😭

Edited April 8, 2019 by Mrsjackson

[payxibka 10,044]

1 minute ago, Mrsjackson said:

Do I qualify to use marketplace? I have submitted my AOS petition but it is in process. I do not have a green card to show. I have the NOA1 of course. And using the health insurance marketplace would not be breaking any immigration rules? Sorry I’m not very well versed on the health care system in the US.  I should be there is no excuse.  I’ll be learning about it now though haha. In Canada it’s just all free 😭

It is a market place to purchase health plans .  Think of it as the amazon market for insurance companies 

Edited April 8, 2019 by payxibka

[Mrsjackson 300]

Just now, payxibka said:

It is a market place to purchase health plans 

Oh right. The enrolment period is nov 1 - dec 1. Out of pocket prenatal care until then I guess. Open enrolment is only for Medicaid as I understand it. 

[Russ&Caro 1,548]

15 hours ago, Mrsjackson said:

But as an immigrant I thought I was not to touch Medicaid? Isn’t that a means-tested benefit? 

Ahh very true. My mistake. You would not qualify for Medicaid. Nevertheless, the exchange should point you to the best available insurance policy. You seem to be focused on the enrollment period which is many months away. Are you sure you don't qualify for immediate insurance based on a life change? In this case, your husband's ongoing self-employment probably doesn't qualify as a job change but if you've only recently arrived in the US then the arrival event would qualify. If you don't have a qualifying life event, e.g. your POE occurred months ago, I would do some searching around for non-profit organizations that offer pre-natal care for immigrants or people with low incomes. I'm not 100% positive but I believe some Planned Parenthood clinics offer pre-natal services on a sliding scale. I used to live in Washington State and they do try to help people in need through a combination of private, non-profit and governmental organizations. Your best bet for finding these services is to call around and search locally. Good luck.

 

EDIT: Just saw some of your follow up responses. You can use the marketplace to buy insurance. There are no negative immigration effects for buying insurance. You are only barred from obtaining Medicaid, as a means tested benefit.

Edited April 9, 2019 by Russ&Caro

[Mrsjackson 300]

49 minutes ago, Russ&Caro said:

Ahh very true. My mistake. You would not qualify for Medicaid. Nevertheless, the exchange should point you to the best available insurance policy. You seem to be focused on the enrollment period which is many months away. Are you sure you don't qualify for immediate insurance based on a life change? In this case, your husband's ongoing self-employment probably doesn't qualify as a job change but if you've only recently arrived in the US then the arrival event would qualify. If you don't have a qualifying life event, e.g. your POE occurred months ago, I would do some searching around for non-profit organizations that offer pre-natal care for immigrants or people with low incomes. I'm not 100% positive but I believe some Planned Parenthood clinics offer pre-natal services on a sliding scale. I used to live in Washington State and they do try to help people in need through a combination of private, non-profit and governmental organizations. Your best bet for finding these services is to call around and search locally. Good luck.

 

EDIT: Just saw some of your follow up responses. You can use the marketplace to buy insurance. There are no negative immigration effects for buying insurance. You are only barred from obtaining Medicaid, as a means tested benefit.

Thanks for this. That’s what I’ve been doing is looking into community health centers, even some faith based centers that want to encourage mothers to go ahead with pregnancy. There’s actually many options surprisingly. And for some reason apparently emergency Medicaid for the birth is not a means tested benefit. What I actually think I may end up doing though is have my prenatal care in Canada. I believe I’m still eligible but I’ll have to research it more. I reside in the states but have not been given any immigration benefits and so I believe I am still a resident of Canada. I honestly think we’ll just pay out of pocket for OB appointments until I get my AP card (VJ estimates July) which is only 2-3 appointments from now until then and then continue with it in Canada. Going back and forth. I’m only an hour and a half drive to the border so that’s doable. Maybe even have the baby in Canada. I don’t quite know. I’m also looking into midwives and the Birthing Center. 

[Boiler 43,393]

16 minutes ago, Mrsjackson said:

Thanks for this. That’s what I’ve been doing is looking into community health centers, even some faith based centers that want to encourage mothers to go ahead with pregnancy. There’s actually many options surprisingly. And for some reason apparently emergency Medicaid for the birth is not a means tested benefit. What I actually think I may end up doing though is have my prenatal care in Canada. I believe I’m still eligible but I’ll have to research it more. I reside in the states but have not been given any immigration benefits and so I believe I am still a resident of Canada. I honestly think we’ll just pay out of pocket for OB appointments until I get my AP card (VJ estimates July) which is only 2-3 appointments from now until then and then continue with it in Canada. Going back and forth. I’m only an hour and a half drive to the border so that’s doable. Maybe even have the baby in Canada. I don’t quite know. I’m also looking into midwives and the Birthing Center. 

Seems you emigrated last year?

[Mrsjackson 300]

1 minute ago, Boiler said:

Seems you emigrated last year?

I entered the US on a K1 visa in June, but my AOS petition was only filed about a month ago in March. 

[Boiler 43,393]

4 minutes ago, Mrsjackson said:

I entered the US on a K1 visa in June, but my AOS petition was only filed about a month ago in March. 

I know Canadian rules varies according to where you where you were living, not sure any of them would still provide cover 9 months later?

[Mrsjackson 300]

2 minutes ago, Boiler said:

I know Canadian rules varies according to where you where you were living, not sure any of them would still provide cover 9 months later?

Me either. I’m going to have to do a lot of research. Relatives have said I’m a resident of Canada until I get some kind of immigration benefit in the states. Otherwise, I’d be in some weird kind of stateless limbo, wouldn’t I? I have to be a permanent resident of somewhere. So my understanding is that I am a resident there until I am a confirmed resident here. I live here but the United States has not granted me any immigration benefit yet or said I can continue to live here permanently. Of course I could be way off and I’ll have to find out for sure. 

 

But I am filing my Canadian taxes in the next week, and I am still claiming to be a resident as I am not technically a resident of the states yet. 

[payxibka 10,044]

2 minutes ago, Mrsjackson said:

Me either. I’m going to have to do a lot of research. Relatives have said I’m a resident of Canada until I get some kind of immigration benefit in the states. Otherwise, I’d be in some weird kind of stateless limbo, wouldn’t I? I have to be a permanent resident of somewhere. So my understanding is that I am a resident there until I am a confirmed resident here. I live here but the United States has not granted me any immigration benefit yet or said I can continue to live here permanently. Of course I could be way off and I’ll have to find out for sure. 

 

But I am filing my Canadian taxes in the next week, and I am still claiming to be a resident as I am not technically a resident of the states yet. 

If it were me I would look into the definition of residency.   I'm not sure it is contingent on the granting of some sort of immigration benefit