jmood

Dad's not a GC holder yet. Will be within a few months. Meanwhile I want to know what documentation they will ask for exactly. E.g. for his income, for his state pension from his home country we have zilch. His consulate here said they can't help and it must be requested in person in the country. Not sure this is true but don't want to waste my time pulling teeth over the phone with foreign state agencies when i don't even know what I will need. Is self certification enough for example.
Second I have a HUGE decision to make regarding whether to live in NYC or NJ. I am sort of in between the two at the moment for various reasons, but it is making my life very complicated and more costly than need be. And I am having a hard time deciding even were it not for my dad. If there is equal possibilities in both states that means something for my decision and if it is not equal then that can be the determining factor and takes the decision out of my hands, which will be a relief in a way.

Sally Redux

Have they said he needs a green card then?

I didn't think it was necessary now.

Getting Started in Medicaid - New York Health Access

"In New York State, you do not need to be a citizen or green-card holder to get Medicaid."

Sorry if I'm clouding the issue, I'm just wondering why it's got so complicated.

jmood

For Medicare they said he needs to have been a GC holder for min 5 years.

For Medicaid NY, I think it was the person on the exchange who said being a GC holder was enough. I didn't ask about not having a GC. Good point.

For NJ Medicaid i don't know because I couldn't get through to someone to ask. The NJ state level Medicaid would not answer that question and as I said, county level won't answer their phones.

Sally Redux

It looks to be a bit more complicated for NJ, and you might need the five years from a quick look around.

You will need an address in order to apply, but maybe you can plug in his info for both places on the exchanges site and compare? (Maybe that's only for the regular plans).

jmood

You think it is possible to do an online theoretical medicaid application?

Sally Redux

Have a look at the site. Ours had a comparison tool for other plans but not medicaid.

But I'm wondering if you could just go ahead and apply for him. Then you'd have your answer.

jmood

I might try that. That's what I meant when I wrote "when I have the time and energy". Pfff, walking into one of those offices, filling forms, waiting, having to endure that atmosphere...
It would just be so much better if they made the whole thing transparent!

scrubbedexpat099

Medicaid is horribly complicated, location shopping well good luck.

From a practical point of view, rules and funding can change, my guess is that NY is likely to be most immigrant friendly. However you also have to consider what you get.

I am sort of surprised there is so little independent resource on this, perhaps it is difficult to monetise?

You would think that there must be a lot of people who would find this information useful.

Sally Redux

Why can't you do it on the exchanges site?

scrubbedexpat099

The exchange sit in CO just directs you to the Medicaid site, everybody has to go through that in CO.

Asks for a LOT of info.

Nutmegger

If I recall correctly, I think the problem is that jmood's father has no status at the present time -- she is trying to adjust it.

audio

I’m doing a similar search myself and not getting very far.
For Medicaid/care, as far as I understand you need to be a PR for 5 years and to enrol they want your SSN.
I think the ‘system’ is designed for the immigrant’s medical insurance bills to be paid by the immigrant and or the sponsor for the affidavit of support and until this 5 year period is served no aid is available.
That’s my poor understanding of it anyway.
I’ll keep taking the Valium on this one.

Sally Redux

I really don't know. It looked like New York was OK.

It seems jmood felt she had no choice but to bring him over but I think it's going to be a hard road.

My MIL in the UK has Alzheimers and needs total residential care.

audio

I would have thought that all States would have the same basic rules but I don’t know either.
It’s just like all the other gov. things, e.g. IRS bl@@dy complicated.

Sally Redux

It's absolutely ridiculous in the modern age, but there's what the fear of 'socialized medicine' will do.