Elderly Parent
 

Is it difficult to bring an elderly parent to the USA, I am a USC and my mother could be on her own very soon, she is nearly blind and would find it very difficult to go about her daily life. I'm sure I could start the process of bringing her here, but what about things like medicare? I'm fishing, it's not bad at this moment, but there's a time in the near future that I would have to think about this.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Legally, visa-wise, it is easy, but I don't believe she would ever be Medicare eligible, so the medical cost/ insurance could create an insurmountable problem.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

As I understand it she MAY (this is how the Medicare site terms it) be eligible for Medicare having been a permanent resident for 5 years.

Even if she is able to enroll, because she has not paid into Medicare and obtained the relevant 40 quarters, she would have to pay for part A (which the majority of US residents/citizens do not) which, currently, is $405.00 per month. On top of that she would have to pay for Part C and D.

It could be very expensive.

Alternatively, she MAY be able to get a policy under the Affordable Care Act. You should get quotes from either Healthcare.gov or your state Exchange site.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

...and Part B which is $104.50 a month.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Just another thought after the practicalities...but how would she get around here either? Less public transport.

Also, what about the social life? She got friends, or social groups she'll be losing out on if she moved away? Might be hard for someone starting from scratch.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Is this for after she has spent 5 years here as a PR?

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Yes.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Under the ACA she can get health insurance and it can be up to three times as expensive as insurance for someone much younger, I believe.

One of my colleagues brought his father over recently. They've not had problems finding health insurance, and they're now looking for sheltered accommodation for him.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

How old of a parent?

Reason I ask is that people have reported, anecdotally, that the older the harder time you'll have finding insurance. After 65 and you might have a few options. After 75 and it's very tough to get options. Pushing 80 and much much harder.

Not sure how the ACA has altered this process. Hope it is easier but still, you should probably start searching around for options.

I should also note some health insurance plans (i.e. yours) will have the option of adding a "dependent parent". Might be worth checking with your HR staff to see if that is available.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Not had problems as in they have a lot of money and don't mind paying $1000 a month for it? That was the average when I was checking for my dad a few years ago. He was 76 then.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

The ACA has reduced the amount insurance companies can overcharge people for being older - the ratio is now 3:1 where a few years ago it could be much higher depending on what state you were in.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Thanks for all your help, she is 80 this year, and is basically blind, if she comes over, there's no way she'll be staying in sheltered accommodation, she'll be living with us no matter how hard it is. I guess the option is stay with us for free and use her pension and a bit of savings for insurance? I think that'll be the way to go, she has friends, but as you get that old, they are all disappearing, so I don't think that's a problem, it sure is a lot warmer in FL!!

Re: Elderly Parent
 

My mum turned 70 in January and we are at the interview stage of her immigrant visa. I've checked into insurance for her with the Washington Health Exchange and we can get an HMO plan for $632.00 a month. As she will be a new immigrant, she will not be eligible for the $512.00 tax credit. The plan is not too bad, it has a $1750.00 deductible, out of pocket maximum $5000.00. Doctor visits will be $25.00. She is extremely healthy, no chronic illness and so does not need medication on a regular basis.
The plan is to keep $5000.00 aside to take care of the out of pocket maximum in case it's needed. This is a big move for her, but we don't want her to spend this next bit of her life alone. I cannot move back to where she is and we'll make it work somehow.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

What'a that?

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Subsidy or a state thing perhaps.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

It's the new Federal Govt. subsidy that helps low and middle-income people with premiums as part of the ACA. It would, if she were eligible, be $512.00 a month.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Does she own property or other assets in the UK that would be sold to fund her care while in the USA?

Is it still the case in the UK that when you need to move in to a retirement home the government takes your house if you own one?

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Do PRs become eligible after several years of being a PR?

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Yes, after 5 years.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

LPR's are immediately eligible for the ACA subsidy but are not eligible for the free Medicaid provision of ACA. It is tricky since if the LPR's income is below 133% of the poverty level, the LPR can't use ACA. But if the LPR's income is between 133%-400% of the poverty level, then subsidies are available with the greatest subsidy at the lower income levels.

Use the following link to determine the subsidy and cost of plans under ACA.

https://www.healthcare.gov/

Re: Elderly Parent
 

LPR's are immediately eligible for ACA subsidies but after 5 years, they can buy into Medicare.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

I don't know if it's different in California, but I helped a friend's mother sign up the WA Health Exchange a couple of weeks ago. She's been an LPR since Feb 2013 and we were told that, yes she could get health insurance on the Exchange, but no, she wouldn't be eligible for any subsidy for 5 years. She is 64 years old and will be paying $520.00 a month for a plan similar to the one I'll be getting for my mother.
In 5 years she would be eligible to buy Medicare and at that point, the tax credit (subsidy) would come into play.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Does anyone know whether it's a federal thing or varies by state?

Re: Elderly Parent
 

I assume it is a federal thing as the subsidy is from the Federal Govt. It would be great if all the information I've gathered is wrong because the sudsidy would be a big help, but I'm pretty sure it isn't. Washington is one of the more generous states in terms of subsidies and other forms of help and I'm sure the navigator that helped us with my friend's application would have told us if there was a subsidy available from the State.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

According to the information I found here http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/11/Immigrant...shtml#lawfully, I'd like to think that the navigator is wrong and that my friend's mother and my mother are in fact eligible for the premium tax credit; what they will not be eligible for is Medicaid despite their earnings being less than 133% of the FPL because they are LPRs for less than 5 years. I'll call the Exchange again to see if I can get someone more knowledgable to shed light on this.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

If their income is less that 133% of the poverty level, the subsidy is free Medicaid but since they are LPRs, they aren't eligible for free Medicaid and since their income is below 133% of the poverty level, there isn't a subsidy to purchase private insurance through ACA. That is the way the bill is written.

States that opted out of expanded Medicaid have also put their low income residents without a lifeline since they are eligible for free Medicaid but the state opted out and therefore they are not eligible for a ACA subsidy to purchase private health insurance. This wasn't the way it was supposed to be but the supreme court ruled that states could opt out of expanded Medicaid (many republican states opted out even though the cost was paid for 100% by the federal government for 3 years and then only cost the state 10% after that).

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Still a lot of confusion. I've just got off the phone with the Exchange and they are definite about my friend's mum (or my mum for that matter) not being eligible for the premium tax credit despite what is written in the document above. I was told that it's possible that as the above document was printed in April 2012, the information is outdated as a lot has changed since then. She suggested I call the U.S. Department of HHS for further clarification! Maybe I'll do just that!! I wasn't expecting any tax credit for my mum's health insurance anway, so not disappointed.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

There seems to be some confusion between that document and my understanding. My understanding is that LPR's of less than 5 years with incomes below 138% of the poverty level are not eligible for ACA subsidies but the document seems to indicate that they can qualify for ACA subsidies if they pay 2% of their income towards the cost of health insurance.

Maybe that was the way the law was originally interpreted prior to the supreme court ruling but now US citizens that should be eligible for free Medicaid in states that opted out can't get free Medicaid or ACA subsidies, that condition for new LPRs may have been removed from the entitlement.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Having worked in health care in many countries for a long time before moving to the US, no one was happier than I was when talk about health care reform and reducing the cost began; I have to say that I'm so disappointed with the result. Premiums are still so high and I wouldn't mind these high premiums if POS was free, but it's not and as things stand, health care is still unaffordable. My friends say I should be patient, give the reform time to actually work out all the glitches and unknowns, that in a few years when the dust has settled, things will finally be the way they should be. One can only hope they're right! I still haven't understood why the Medicare model wasn't replicated. It may not be 100% perfect but it's definitely better than what's out there now.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

The Medicare model (single payer system) would have been impossible since there are conservatives in the democratic party and they needed all 60 democrats in the senate to pass the bill. In fact Evan Bayh (D-IN) mounted a campaign to get support from other democrats to kill health care reform. Evan Bayh's wife is on the board of directors for Wellpoint (the largest managed care Blue Cross/Blue Shield organization) with a salary of over $15 million while Evan was in the senate but was just a small time lawyer until Evan was elected to the senate.

Therefore health care reform had to be done the hard way.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Is there a list of those states somewhere?
I am interested in NY and NJ. Thanks.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Isn't there a law banning senators being involved in issues where they have a close family conflict of interest?

Re: Elderly Parent
 

:lol:

There's also a law about drink drive limits and drug taking...which doesn't seem to stop them.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

I was asking seriously.
Am I an idiot?

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Given your earlier question, do you really want a serious answer to that question too? :sneaky:

Re: Elderly Parent
 

:lol:

OK, but IS there such a law?

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Until recently there was no law that prohibited congress from trading on inside information such as contracts awarded to defense contractors but is against SEC and Justice Department laws for everyone else. It was only when the public became outraged did congress pass a law that prohibited them from trading on inside information.

Congress passes many loopholes that only pertains to congress.

As long as Evan is not bribed (wink, wink), just about everything that his wife does is legal including being a lobbyist for the medical industry.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

F%"*^&
I thought there was justice, equality and democracy in this country.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

Who told you that, must have been having a laugh.

Re: Elderly Parent
 

That was a bit flippant.

There is a legal system, and justice seems to be both uncommon and I assume accidental. I have heard far too many horror stories from those who have directly suffered.

Equality, well the US has the least opportunity of any Western Country.

Democracy, to be fair the US is not a Democracy but again he who pays the piper seems to be the rule.