d.j.and80

Hi all,

I have just moved to California and im having some real issues getting SSN. I waited 10 days and went to my local office and after 6 weeks I finally go my card through yesterday - Thinking thats great I can get health care now, I was then told that because my wife and son dont have SSN's yet (only got here 2 weeks ago) we still could not have it.

So my issue is how do people with a family on L2 visas get health care insurance

Pulaski

In most cases, almost all cases, through your employer. As you have discovered you need an SSN for the insurance, but you might be able to sign up for dependant coverage for your family and add their SSNs when they come through.

Owen778

I was on an L1, and had health insurance from day one. My employer was able to add me to the system using a dummy SSN, and they then updated it once my SSN was received.

Not sure if your problem is a case of "Untrained HR assistant" or "Computer says no". Depending on your powers of persuasion, you may have to wait for their SSNs to come.

However, you will have to talk to HR anyway, since L2 child dependents cannot work, and therefore they are not eligible for an SSN. You have to apply for an ITIN for him instead. You do this with the W7 form attached to your first US tax return.

I think you need to spend time with HR and explain to them that they should use a dummy SSN until the numbers are received. I don't understand why they would need to have an SSN for your wife and child.

scrubbedexpat099

Most people use a SSN as their unique identifying number, it is not needed.

Pulaski

I never got around to putting little Miss P's SSN into my employer's health insurance database. It has never caused a problem with insurance coverage and claims, and she is nearly ten years old now!

d.j.and80

So my company does not provide health care as its only a small 3 man business. In a little panic right now over this one

Owen778

I'm confused. You said earlier you were told that you could get healthcare once you had your SSN?

Do they mean that you need your SSN to apply on the health insurance marketplace?

Pulaski

So you need to go your state healthcare portal PDQ. The easiest way to find it is through the Healthcare.gov web site. .... That way you can find coverage and sign up, in a similar way that most of us sign up through our employer's healthcare web site.

SanDiegogirl

I really hope that you have budgeted a few hundred dollars a month for premiums then.

tom169

My wife has added me as a dependent to her health insurance without my SSN.

d.j.and80

Ok i think i have resolved the issue - thank you all for your replies - i will keep you posted

so now iv calmed down il try explain clearer.

Im on a L1 and my wife and son are on L2. I have a SSN but today my wife called blue shield California health insurance and they said that without a SSN they could not cover her or my son.....

We then called our local Social security office to ask how they can get this and they told her that she needs the work permit first but our son can not get one as a dependent.

no my work is a super small company so I have to provide my our care but I have been paid extra to cover this (1000s more to cover)

so at this point im thinking no health care without SSN and we cant get SSN !!!

So we called covered california (health broker) and they have told us we can get cover without the SSN.

So my only issue is if my son cant get a SSN then he cant drive either which is the issue iv been having myself of late. Iv been driving a rental for nearly 2 months waiting for my SSN so i can book a test.

Every day a new hurdle but I wouldnt change it as I love life out here in Cali

Owen778

Well, that was easy to find. Your son is not required to have an SSN if he can't obtain one:
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1...dl/dl_info#SSN

Pulaski

Your son can drive if he gets a letter from the Social Security Administration that says he isn't eligible for an SSN, then take's that to the DMV.

ETA Owen beat me to it.

d.j.and80

well that teaches me to phoning the DMV and talking to a human lol

Thanks again

Pulaski

You're welcome.

If you haven't worked it out yet, DMVs are the most unhelpful, disfunctional organizations on the entire planet!