Roger L

Attn Medicaid and Immigration experts,

We are currently in the process of filling out papers (I-864) on behalf of my husband
for residence in the U.S.A.

Before I proceed with the forms, I would like to give you a little background on
myself. I am a US citizen working and residing in Canada and we are in the process
of purchasing our retirement home in Florida for the winter. I also own land in
U.S.A and have investments with a bank in U.S.

We plan to maintain a condo residence in Canada while I am still working and also
plan to spend several months in Florida during the winter months.

We are uninformed and have been unable to find the answers on the following
questions.

1. Is my husband eligible for U.S. Medicaid at age 65 without being a
U.S. citizen, but having a immigration visa. What are the residency
requirements for Medicaid in his case? He will be 64 in July 2001.

2. Once he gets his immigration visa, he has to go there in six months. What are
the rules regarding length of time that he has to stay there consecutively per
year? He plans to go back and forth to Canada. Also, do I have to accompany
him and remain there with him for the same period of time, as I am still
working in Canada.

3. Since I have spent most of my working life in Canada, would I be eligible for
U.S. Medicaid at age 65? I am 61 now. What are the residency requirements?

4. How do we go about getting his application put on hold, if
immigrating within the next 12 months is not to our advantage.

Thanks,

Nancy P

Marilou920

I'm not a lawyer, this is not legal advise. Most of the US states required yout to be
US citizen to qualify for Medicaid. My in laws told me you must be over 60's and
resides in US.

exyz

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FYI Medicare funds health care generally for folks over 65, and some disabled
individuals. I beleive that what you should be asking about is Medicare, not
Medicaid. Medicaid is generally for younger people who cannot afford health
insurance. Sounds like you have way too many assets to qualify for Medicaid.

I am not well versed on the rules here, but two things come to mind. Does your
current position has health benefits for retirees and do these benefits they convey
to your spouse. Other than that, I'd contact the social security administration in
the United States. They would be able to tell you whether or not you qualify for
benefits and whether or not your husband would qualify as well. My guess is that if
you have been paying into the social security system (generally US workers pay social
security and medicare taxes) you get something back, but I don't know for sure. You
don't have to be an immigrant to pay into the system...workers with non-immigrant
H1-B visas often pay into the social security system. I've always wondered whether or
not they get anything back, though.

Elaine

michael d young

exyz wrote:

[usenetquote2]> > Attn Medicaid and Immigration experts,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > We are currently in the process of filling out papers (I-864) on behalf of my[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > husband for residence in the U.S.A.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Before I proceed with the forms, I would like to give you a little background on[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > myself. I am a US citizen working and residing in[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]> > and we are in the process of purchasing our retirement home in[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]> > for the winter. I also own land in U.S.A and have investments with[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]> > bank in U.S.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > We plan to maintain a condo residence in Canada while I am still working and[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > also plan to spend several months in Florida during the winter months.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > We are uninformed and have been unable to find the answers on the following[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > questions.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > 1. Is my husband eligible for U.S. Medicaid at age 65 without[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]> > U.S. citizen, but having a immigration visa. What are the residency requirements[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > for Medicaid in his case? He will be 64 in July 2001.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > 2. Once he gets his immigration visa, he has to go there in six months. What are[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > the rules regarding length of time that he has to stay there consecutively[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > per year? He plans to go back and forth to Canada. Also, do I have to[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > accompany him and remain there with him[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]> > the same period of time, as I am still working in Canada.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > 3. Since I have spent most of my working life in Canada, would I[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]> > eligible for U.S. Medicaid at age 65? I am 61 now. What are the residency[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > requirements?[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >4. How do we go about getting his application put on hold, if[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > immigrating within the next 12 months is not to our advantage.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Thanks,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Nancy P[/usenetquote2]
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Hi All!

You need to read SSA publication 05-10137, "Your Payments While You Are Outside The
United States". You can find on the SSAWebsite at:

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10137.html

Normally, if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident you can be eligible for
Social Security and Medicare benefits if you meet all other factors for entitlement,
i.e. age, credits. Your ability to receive Social Security benefits outside the U.S.
will also depend on your country of citizenship and residence. Normally, there is no
Medicare medical coverage outside the U.S.

The United States has bilateral Social Security agreements with 18 countries. The
agreements eliminate dual Social Security coverage and taxes for multinational
companies and expatriate workers. They also improve benefit protection for workers
who have divided their careers between the United States and another country. You can
view these agreements on the SSA Website at:

http://www.ssa.gov/international/inter_intro.html

Take care,

Mike

exyz

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Thanks so much. My husband (Dutch national, has only worked in the US, just about to
become permanent resident, we hope) has paid into social security for a few years
now, and always wondered if he was eligible for benefits down the road. Way down the
road, I think.

Elaine

2dennis

I know others have probably answered you by now but here is my 2 cents worth. Answers
after each question.

Roger L wrote:
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You mean medicare and no he would not be eligible for it until he has worked 40
quarters (10 years) in the US and paid into the SS. There are no residence
requirements but also medicare does not pay for health benefits outside the US, you
would need a supplemental insurance for that.
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Once he has received his GC he should not be gone for more than 6 months at a time.
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Medicaid is disabled younger people, medicare is for retired seniors. You also would
be eligible if you have paid into the SS system for at least 40 quarters and like I
said above no residence requirements but it can only be used in America.
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You write to them and asked to be put on hold until your are ready but at your age it
really doesn't matter since you can retire off the Canadian SS with their health
benefits .
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You are welcome, Dennis

--
Join the Egroup for Asian American Couples
http://www.egroups.com/group/Asian_American_Couples

Rete

Canadian health benefits will not do him any good in the US. Either you pay cash upfront or have health insurance.

This I know from my Canadian husband and my in-laws who are snow geese, wintering yearly in Florida. Bill had to have emergency hand surgery this winter and he had to pay for it up front.

Rita

PS They might want to get travel health insurance for him since he will only be wintering in the "tropics".

paulgani

http://www.hcfa.gov/medicaid/wrfs3.htm

Immigrants Admitted to the U.S. On or After August 22, 1996

There is a mandatory ban on Medicaid eligibility for immigrants who are "qualified
aliens" newly admitted to the U.S. on or after August 22, 1996. The ban is in effect
for the first five years they are in the U.S. in that status, unless the individual
is a member of one of the excepted groups. After the five-year ban expires, an
immigrant's access to Medicaid is at State option (for those otherwise eligible). For
those who have individual sponsors who sign new, legally binding affidavits of
support (required elsewhere in welfare reform, beginning no later than February
1997), States must deem the income and resources of the immigrant's sponsor (and
sponsor's spouse) to be available to support the immigrant when determining the
immigrant's eligibility for Medicaid. For most immigrants, deeming will not take
effect for five years.

Excepted Groups of Immigrants

There is an excepted group of immigrants to whom the State must provide Medicaid
coverage, provided the individuals are otherwise eligible. The following groups of
immigrants are considered part of the excepted group:

o Refugees -- For the first 5 years after entry to U.S. in that status o Asylees --
For the first 5 years after granted asylum o Individuals whose deportation is being
withheld by the INS -- For the first 5 years after grant of deportation withholding o
Lawful Permanent Residents -- After they have been credited with 40 quarters of
coverage under Social Security (based upon their own work and/or that of spouses or
parents) and no Federal means-tested public benefits were received by the individual
in the quarter to be credited (or the spouse/parent on whose work record quarters
were credited). o Honorably discharged U.S. military veterans, active duty military
personnel, and their spouses and unmarried dependent children -- At any time.

Paulgani

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