WomanInLove1980

Hey, guys!
I am a naturalized US citizen. Been here since 2004. My elderly parents live in Israel. If I wanted to bring them here to live with me-permanent residents or however this will work, how does health insurance for new senior immigrants work? I do not imagine they would qualify for Medicare and cannot be covered under my employer sponsored health insurance plan like my children/spouse.
The only option I found is paying for private health insurance insane amounts of money since they are elderly. They do not have major chronic health issues that require multiple/expensive medications or hospitalizations.
What are my options as far as their medical insurance? This is really the only concern I have about bringing them here.
Thanks for your advice.

Pulaski

It looks like you have done all your research and already know the answer - private health insurance at an insane cost, for at least six years, until they are eligible for citizenship and have applied for it and taken the oath.

scrubbedexpat099

Elderly means different things to different people.

Options vary by State and assuming this is a long term move quite what the future will bring is anybody's guess.

Simple answer would be to look at your State Exchange and see what the current costs are, they can potentially buy into Medicare in the future, couple of other things that come to mind do Medical Suppliers near you take customers with this sort of cover and alos most people will need care, some drop dead, but for most of us it is when not if.

Pulaski

That sentence has two distinct meanings - are you a zombie?

scrubbedexpat099

OP said they are currently OK

Some people will stay OK, drop dead of all of a sudden, be wiped out in a car crash whatever and have not incurred much medical need. (My personal preferred option)

Most people get to a point however healthy they have been where they will need medical care and that medical care keeps on racking up.

So one thing if you are looking 2 weeks out for a vacation, quite another of you expect to live out your remaining days.

Pulaski

As you apparently can't recognize a joke when it is staring you in the face, I am going to assume that you're a zombie.

scrubbedexpat099

I need to change my avatar.

penguinsix

While the federal government has restrictions on federal public health money being used for new immigrants, as you have discovered, some states allow state funds for medical care to be used for new immigrants, but generally only for Medicad (insurance for the poor). For example, California has some very limited programs available to new immigrants, but only if they are extremely poor. I think about 15 states allow immigrants access to Medi-caid utilizing state funds, not federal funds. A few states may offer some form of health care during the 5-year ban but you'll need to check the specifics state-by-state.

As noted (and experienced myself) buying from the private sector for an elderly parent can be extremely expensive.

https://www.insubuy.com/medi-cal-eli...ew-immigrants/
https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/ov...d-and-chip#Key

scrubbedexpat099

My first thought is that Medicaid is essentially a loan so not too good if you want to pass on assets, what I see is the assets being diluted before immigration.

And we need to be absolutely clear that what happens now is not embedded for the future. States like CA will suffer a major financial crunch so what will they chop?

Hotscot

From what I observe, living here, any negative consequences will be borne by citizens and legal residents.
Predominantly in the form of taxes.

Pulaski

And yet you won't bit the bullet and move to one of the places where there is a better balance of rights.

Hotscot

Yes but martini's as you watch the sunset over the ocean..
At least we don't have needles and poop on the pavements.

Pulaski

A not unreasonable point, but my house and land in CA would probably cost about 10 times what it cost me here, and I get to see deer, rabbits, squirrels, woodpeckers, bluebirds, hawks, bats, chipmunks, and tortoises, among other varied critters.

Hotscot

Gopher snakes, rattlesnakes, blackbirds, meadowlarks, Prairie Falcon, hummingbirds, Black Phoebe, squirrels, Northern Flicker, Crows, sparrows, finches, pigeons, raccoons, killdeer, skunks...

They all stop by for a bite. We are known for our hospitality..

Pulaski

We have most of those too, or similar, including hummingbirds, raccoons, and several species of snake - and some of them I wouldn't brag about, though I am mostly happy to let them be.