British Expats

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-   -   Health Insurance (https://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-57/health-insurance-911644/)

JuniorJ194 Apr 13th 2018 10:53 am

Health Insurance
 
Next Saturday is moving day! And I’ve been looking into health insurance for myself. I can’t join my fiancées as she has it through college and her family, so it will just be mine I need to pay for. What companies are good for expats to go through? I looked at United Healthcare and the plans are around $100 a months for a semi decent one.

Any advice? I don’t smoke and I’m in my early twenties..

excpomea Apr 13th 2018 1:19 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 
$100 a month? I think you missed a 0

Jerseygirl Apr 13th 2018 1:32 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 

Originally Posted by JuniorJ194 (Post 12480935)
Next Saturday is moving day! And I’ve been looking into health insurance for myself. I can’t join my fiancées as she has it through college and her family, so it will just be mine I need to pay for. What companies are good for expats to go through? I looked at United Healthcare and the plans are around $100 a months for a semi decent one.

Any advice? I don’t smoke and I’m in my early twenties..

$100 per month...that can’t be right. As the above said...it is more likely to be $1,000 per month.

Make sure you have good coverage...even though you are young you could break your leg/back, have an appendicitis, all sorts of emergencies could happen. Also consider extra out of pocket costs...co-pays, deductibles, meds etc.

JuniorJ194 Apr 13th 2018 1:37 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 12481033)
$100 per month...that can’t be right. As the above said...it is more likely to be $1,000 per month.

Make sure you have good coverage...even though you are young you could break your leg/back, have an appendicitis, all sorts of emergencies could happen. Also consider extra out of pocket costs...co-pays, deductibles, meds etc.

I’m entering under a k-1 visa so I won’t be a resident until I apply for my AOS.. do you think travel insurance would be a good way to cover me until I can work?

Thanks!

Jerseygirl Apr 13th 2018 1:41 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 

Originally Posted by JuniorJ194 (Post 12481036)
I’m entering under a k-1 visa so I won’t be a resident until I apply for my AOS.. do you think travel insurance would be a good way to cover me until I can work?

Thanks!

Others maybe able to advise you as to what your status will be.

mikelincs Apr 13th 2018 2:33 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 

Originally Posted by JuniorJ194 (Post 12481036)
I’m entering under a k-1 visa so I won’t be a resident until I apply for my AOS.. do you think travel insurance would be a good way to cover me until I can work?

Thanks!

NO! travel insurance is for short visits on holiday, not for people moving on a visa, you would be performing insurance fraud, and you have to be a UK resident in any case for the insurance to be valid.

Rete Apr 13th 2018 2:41 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 
Do you plan on working when you get here? How far away from your entry date is your wedding planned? Asking because a quick wedding and a quick submission of the adjustment of status paperwork and employment authorization paperwork means you can start the clock on waiting for the EAD to come through.

If you already have a jump start on a career and are not regulated to going to a fast food place for employment then your employment might come with healthcare insurance. In fact McDonald's healthcare is very comprehensive and not to ignored as a perk to the job.

JuniorJ194 Apr 13th 2018 3:05 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 12481081)
Do you plan on working when you get here? How far away from your entry date is your wedding planned? Asking because a quick wedding and a quick submission of the adjustment of status paperwork and employment authorization paperwork means you can start the clock on waiting for the EAD to come through.

If you already have a jump start on a career and are not regulated to going to a fast food place for employment then your employment might come with healthcare insurance. In fact McDonald's healthcare is very comprehensive and not to ignored as a perk to the job.

I do plan on working and studying when I get there. We don’t get married for another 10 weeks, but I need to be there to move us into a new apartment and also help with wedding plans. I read online that travel insurance can be an option up until you get married? I don’t know if that’s true or not though.

Rete Apr 13th 2018 3:19 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 

Originally Posted by JuniorJ194 (Post 12481099)
I do plan on working and studying when I get there. We don’t get married for another 10 weeks, but I need to be there to move us into a new apartment and also help with wedding plans. I read online that travel insurance can be an option up until you get married? I don’t know if that’s true or not though.

As others stated, no on the travel insurance. You are not a traveler and this is not a visit. Call the insurance company and ask them and be truthful about your planned immigration and that you are coming to the US on a K-1.

So you are looking at approximately 7 to 9 months without healthcare. 10 weeks plus another 2 to 3 weeks until you file the adjustment of status, then another 9 to 18 weeks until you have employment document and then hopefully a full time job with healthcare benefits. Hope you have saved up about $10,000 to fund you until you are able to work and to pay the premium on your healthcare.

Another way to is to do without healthcare and use the premium money to pay out of pocket for a doctor or tests as or if needed.

MidAtlantic Apr 13th 2018 4:37 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 12481105)
Another way to is to do without healthcare and use the premium money to pay out of pocket for a doctor or tests as or if needed.

Yes it is an option but I would strongly advise against it. An accident or illness (which can happen suddenly to "healthy" young people or anyone else) could run up bills into the many thousands very quickly.

Jerseygirl Apr 13th 2018 5:32 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 

Originally Posted by MidAtlantic (Post 12481155)
Yes it is an option but I would strongly advise against it. An accident or illness (which can happen suddenly to "healthy" young people or anyone else) could run up bills into the many thousands very quickly.

Agreed. The $10K Rete mentioned won’t go very far in a US hospital...maybe last a day or two without surgery or expensive tests.

GeoffM Apr 13th 2018 5:47 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 12481033)
$100 per month...that can’t be right. As the above said...it is more likely to be $1,000 per month.

Make sure you have good coverage...even though you are young you could break your leg/back, have an appendicitis, all sorts of emergencies could happen. Also consider extra out of pocket costs...co-pays, deductibles, meds etc.

$100 is too low - but $1000 for a lone 23 year old seems way too high. If I look into Covered California for that age plans range from $157 for the minimum qualifying plan to $491 for platinum coverage. YMMV of course with specific personal details entered. However, agreed on the co-pays, prescriptions, sometimes labs, and other non-covered costs that will come out of your own pocket.

I would not want to be uninsured when a simple trip requiring surgery for a broken arm can top $10,000 in the blink of an eye.

scrubbedexpat099 Apr 13th 2018 6:18 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 
If you can get it for 4100 jump on it.

Agree with the travel insurance comments, there are policies you can buy her for new residents but they are not very good but maybe better than nothing.

Once you marry and file then you can go for OCare, I would have thought as a spouse you could be added to her Uni cover which is likely to be the best idea.

EAD/AP is taking 4 months or so after you file. So a looong time before you can work.

vikingsail Apr 13th 2018 6:29 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 
No doubt your response will be indignant but with all due respect you don't need to be there to move into an apartment nor to help plan a wedding.

As others have said feel free to buy travel insurance but it will be wasted money because if needed you will be denied coverage based on the details you provided here and likely prosecuted for fraud.

The simplest thing to do is to remain a UK resident until such time as you are married and can move and secure the necessary nay vital health insurance when in the USA. To come without is a gamble, not a gamble I would undertake but then I know what can go wrong in the blink of an eye and the $$ that you can suddenly end up liable for to Health Insurance companies.

People often confuse needs and wants and allow it to obscure their decision making.

JuniorJ194 Apr 13th 2018 6:32 pm

Re: Health Insurance
 

Originally Posted by Boiler (Post 12481202)
If you can get it for 4100 jump on it.

Agree with the travel insurance comments, there are policies you can buy her for new residents but they are not very good but maybe better than nothing.

Once you marry and file then you can go for OCare, I would have thought as a spouse you could be added to her Uni cover which is likely to be the best idea.

EAD/AP is taking 4 months or so after you file. So a looong time before you can work.


I’m looking to study mainly, I’ve applied for Met College in the Fall and then onto a Bachelors Degree hopefully. I can get healthcare through the college I’m applying for, but will need it until then. I’ve been looking at temporary plans and they don’t look too bad price wise.

But not working will kill me for sure.


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