nun

The cost and availability of health insurance will depend on the state that you are moving to. ObamaCare isn't yet implemented so there is a patchwork of insurance regulations. Some states (like MA) mandate that you have insurance and connot be discriminated against because of a pre existing condition. Some states have a completely free market and you might find it difficult to find an affordable plan.

FYI many people in the US just don't have insurance, amazing as it seems.

Meryl

this might apply to you

http://www.imglobal.com/img-insuranc...insurance.aspx

I'm in the same boat, I work for a very small company that doesn't offer insurance, I've been here for three years now with no insurance (fortunately I'm healthy)

Looking forward to when I get my green card so I can change jobs!

Extreme

Maybe this could be something to check out?

http://www.insubuy.com/

vikingsail

I think you really need to consider what you are doing in the US if you do not have any health insurance. It is like gambling with dire financial consequences. As others have said your travel insurance is already invalid. Please don't live on the hope that it will be alright because it will not, the travel insurance company will deny coverage based on your facts.

I think the idea of using your husbands self employed company and creating a 'mini' group plan is a good idea. How about your future husband taking you on as an employee in the meantime and obtaining coverage that way provided you can work in the US?

Otherwise its probably going to be some very very expensive insurance but still worth paying as an interim v's actual medical costs. I know everyone thinks the gamble is worth it and that it will not happen to them but its called medical insurance for a reason - anything could happen at any time and costs in the US are exorbitant.

A friend's son was recently going to live and work in Europe for a year. Two days before his flight he slipped and broke his wrist. $12,000 later he is fine but thats the average cost of just a small broken bone after all tests and treatment. Fortunately, he was still covered under a parents work policy.

Please, please consider your situation very carefully.

Jerseygirl

The OP was warned about this in this thread. She was also warned that travel insurance would not be valid.

Nutmegger

OP, you say you are here on a fiancee visa, when will you be married? As I said before, your then husband should contact his insurance carrier to ask about changing his policy from single to married couple. Yes, it won't be cheap, but it's better than the alternative.

Pulaski

I had a three night hospital stay with minor surgery. A minor scratch on my arm got infected, led to a secondary infection, and both required minor incision-and-drain surgery, but by the time I was admitted I had a swollen arm, blood poisoning, and a potentially limb or life threatening infection. It all happened very quickly, but the hospital bill was over $20k!

Jerseygirl

Also worth noting that when you go to see a doctor here...you are sent for every test imaginable relating to your symptoms.

nermil75

I've checked this one out

http://www.insubuy.com/

I may take this option.

We got married in December but I had a misery getting my UK vaccination record (the original they gave me in London was incorrect) but I have an appointment now with a US doctor to get the correct one certified and do that form I693 I think. So this week coming I should finally be able to apply for that.

Ironically, being in AZ I do have the high risk pool but they insist you go WITHOUT medical insurance for six months before being eligible which as many have pointed out is very risky. I don't see the point of a system that forces you to go without insurance in order to get insurance. Only in America.

I'll look into extending my husband's plan to be family. But as I don't have employment authorisation yet, not sure if I can be an employee of his company.

I'd personally rather the high risk pool because for coverage of a pre-existing condition it seems the most cost effective. But they set up a lot of road blocks to prevent people from getting coverage that way, the biggest of course is the six month black out period when you can have no coverage. https://www.pcip.gov/Who's_Eligible.html --Madness.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Nutmegger

You said "So he has his own policy which he took out as an individual." Is this not the case, it is actually a company policy, not an individual one?

nermil75

No its individual. I was just referring to earlier suggestions that he get a company insurance policy and take me on as an employee. Not sure I can be without the right to work here. I wouldn't want to dig ourselves into a deeper hole.

He may be able to add me to his individual policy. And we're looking into this. I got quoted $234 for 3 months of coverage through insubuy (no pre existing condition coverage) with a $500k max. I may go for that one to tide me over for now.

Jerseygirl

$234 for 3 months?!!! I wouldn't touch that with a bargepole.

You stated in your other thread you have MS and are high risk...surely you need full cover? Goodness knows what less than $80 per month will cover. Just to give you an idea...my husband took early retirement a couple of years ago. We have full insurance cover through my husband's employer...no major health issues...our contribution this year is approx $700 per month. This includes meds and dental.

nun

US health insurance is expensive and complicated for those of us with jobs in the US or even on Medicare. Most plans that cost a few hundred dollars a month will have high deductibles meaning you are responsible for paying the first $5k or $10 of expenses. so anything cheaper is probably almost worthless. If you don't have your own employer health coverage, can be immediately added to someone else's policy or can qualify for your own insurance, it is a gamble moving to the US. If you have MS I would not move from the UK until you had everything sorted out. If you were to move to MA you could buy a policy for around $400/month as the state law is that you cannot be refused or discriminated against for pre-existing conditions and buy a policy is a simple web based procedure.

fatbrit

In some ways, if you're not on a group plan and don't yet qualify for Obamacare, then a catastrophic-type policy that limits your exposure to bankruptcy can be the only viable alternative.

Jerseygirl

Looks like the OP is in your neck of the woods. Are there any state mandates for medical cover as there are in Ma?