Medical Insurance Help

[ds2 101]

Hello,

 

I filed my I-485, I-761, I-131 in June 2019 and I already have a SSN, I want to know the benefits of getting Medical Insurance, it's costing approx $500 per month through my wife's employer. Should I not get a medical insurance and travel to India (my home country) every time I get sick? Tickets to India are like $1000 and my parents are doctors there. I also have a cousin sister who is a doctor here in the US, if I need treatment for emergencies.

 

Sorry this is all new to me and the insurance seems very very expensive so I'm just looking for some advice here, thank you!

 

[Crazy Cat 39,213]

10 minutes ago, ds2 said:

Hello,

 

I filed my I-485, I-761, I-131 in June 2019 and I already have a SSN, I want to know the benefits of getting Medical Insurance, it's costing approx $500 per month through my wife's employer. Should I not get a medical insurance and travel to India (my home country) every time I get sick? Tickets to India are like $1000 and my parents are doctors there. I also have a cousin sister who is a doctor here in the US, if I need treatment for emergencies.

 

Sorry this is all new to me and the insurance seems very very expensive so I'm just looking for some advice here, thank you!

 

Anticipating the cost of medical insurance should be an important part of every person's plan for living inside the US.  Traveling to India when you get sick is not practical, and should not be considered an alternative to medical insurance...I suggest looking at a variety of medical insurance options.

Edited August 15, 2019 by missileman

[geowrian 22,335]

I also would not suggest relying on family members for medical care. It is generally considered unethical, or at least improper, for them to do so as they are not an unbiased individual (with limited exceptions).

https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/ethics/treating-self-or-family

 

Also, if you have an emergency, traveling to India (or anywhere other than a local hospital) may be impractical or impossible.

Example: If you have a stroke or heart attack, you're not going to India before a local hospital. And the costs of care for those is crazy.

Edited August 15, 2019 by geowrian

[yuna628 9,528]

45 minutes ago, ds2 said:

Hello,

 

I filed my I-485, I-761, I-131 in June 2019 and I already have a SSN, I want to know the benefits of getting Medical Insurance, it's costing approx $500 per month through my wife's employer. Should I not get a medical insurance and travel to India (my home country) every time I get sick? Tickets to India are like $1000 and my parents are doctors there. I also have a cousin sister who is a doctor here in the US, if I need treatment for emergencies.

 

Sorry this is all new to me and the insurance seems very very expensive so I'm just looking for some advice here, thank you!

 

Insurance is expensive. But that is typical. $500 per month sounds cheap... back in the day I was paying over $900. Is it worth it? Well if the choice is having insurance vs a $100,000 medical bill, you can see how it would be prudent. Within a month earlier this year I was in the hospital twice. Final cost somewhere around $50,000. Thankfully with insurance I didn't have much to pay out of pocket and received excellent care.

[ADW & JOP 146]

8 hours ago, ds2 said:

Hello,

 

I filed my I-485, I-761, I-131 in June 2019 and I already have a SSN, I want to know the benefits of getting Medical Insurance, it's costing approx $500 per month through my wife's employer. Should I not get a medical insurance and travel to India (my home country) every time I get sick? Tickets to India are like $1000 and my parents are doctors there. I also have a cousin sister who is a doctor here in the US, if I need treatment for emergencies.

 

Sorry this is all new to me and the insurance seems very very expensive so I'm just looking for some advice here, thank you!

 

The cost of healthcare is not typically associated with doctor visits alone. If you had a true emergency, requiring a visit to the ED or need any diagnostic tests, your bill will add up quickly.

 

I would probably classify any medical condition that requires you to seek medical attention in-person overseas as at least semi-urgent. If you do become this sick and need to fly to India, you would also need to consider whether the airline would allow you to fly and whether a long-haul flight is advisable, as there are many conditions that a medical practitioner would advise against flying. 

Edited August 16, 2019 by ADW & JOP

[Celie 793]

On 8/15/2019 at 11:11 AM, ds2 said:

Hello,

 

I filed my I-485, I-761, I-131 in June 2019 and I already have a SSN, I want to know the benefits of getting Medical Insurance, it's costing approx $500 per month through my wife's employer. Should I not get a medical insurance and travel to India (my home country) every time I get sick? Tickets to India are like $1000 and my parents are doctors there. I also have a cousin sister who is a doctor here in the US, if I need treatment for emergencies.

 

Sorry this is all new to me and the insurance seems very very expensive so I'm just looking for some advice here, thank you!

 

If you are fairly healthy and don't think you'll get sick often, you should look into a high deductible health plan. Then, instead of paying the high monthly payments on a PPO plan you can instead put money aside in an HSA account for a rainy day. Some employers even offer contributions to this when choosing the HSA eligible plan they have available.

[apple21 953]

Having a relative who is a doctor will not exempt you from paying hospital bill during confinement and emergencies. Sure they can write you a prescription but depending on the medication especially if not OTC it will be very expensive.

[acidrain 325]

The stories are endless of people who've lost everything because of an unforeseen emergency. Amy Vilela who ran for Congress (Las Vegas - District 4) lost her daughter due to "lack of health insurance" (more than 45,000 Americans die each year). Her daughter went to the hospital but incorrectly said she didn't have insurance when she did. She just started a new job and didn't realize she was already covered. She was in her 20's and she did not present as "life threatening". She had a blood clot and a simple blood test would have shown that but the hospital never did the test. The blood clot got worse in the days following and she wound up in a coma and died. I can tell you many stories of others who suffered the same fate.

 

A simple trip to the emergency room can easily run in the tens of thousands without insurance. If you get admitted into the hospital and need surgery you easily are looking at a six figure bill. All it takes is getting in a car accident, falling down a flight of stairs or any scenario you cannot predict. Not having health insurance is like rolling the dice as to whether you lose everything including your life.

Edited September 1, 2019 by acidrain

[stephanie918 46]

When my husband and I move over from Australia, neither of us will be covered as neither will have a job right away.  I'm assuming we will just purchase it outright for our family and pay the full cost until one of us is employed and can get the spouse added.  Can we enrol at anytime if we are paying privately (not going through an employer)?