Ferd

I am an 80 yr old Brit contemplating a 4 to 6 month stay in USA (I have a green card).Any recommendations for health insurance ?I plan to leave UK for Alabama when the Covid figures for both countries are favorable.I think this would be in September, Thanks Ferd

Jerseygirl

Welcome to BE.

Sorry I can’t help you with insurance, but I imagine it will be expensive for that length of stay.

How can you be a US permanent resident (GC holder), when you are not living in the US but visiting? When did you move from the US back to the UK?

tht

At that age he could well have one of the old paper GC with no photo and expiry date.

Ferd

I have been traveling between the 2 countries for the last 20 years.I am married to an American lady.I used to get healthcare through her state employers...but the rules changed and I had to get my own insurance.All the sites I have looked at only insure for 1 month.I need to be there for longer.

scrubbedexpat099

Living in the US would make you ineligible for travel insurance.

​​​​​​https://www.healthcare.gov/

What does your wife have for cover? Most US Residents would be on Medicare.

SanDiegogirl

Presuming your wife is on Medicare, you might be able to piggy back on her contributions if she has paid in to the system. If you only had to pay the basic amount per month (approx $140pm) that would probably be the cheapest way to do it and get cover on an annual basis.

destone

This will cost you a lot.

You can look at options such as https://www.cignaglobal.com or https://www.bupaglobal.com.

scrubbedexpat099

In current circumstance could take longer to go the Medicare route than he will be here, assuming eligible. Is there not a late joining penalty?

SanDiegogirl

Yes there is a penalty..... just thought that getting health insurance for the US for 4 to 6 months might be thousands of dollars ( didn't JerseyGirl say insurance for her 70 something year old mother was around $1K for three weeks?).
Getting onto Medicare via his wife would cost the OP around $1,700 for the year. (co-pays and deductibles extra of course)

He says he has been back and forth between UK and US for 20 years.

Jerseygirl

MIL was in her mid 80’s and the cost was approx £1K for 3 weeks cover. She took blood thinners and was on BP meds. Her visit was approx 10 years ago.

scrubbedexpat099

I remember my Mother's cost was more than the air fare, sometime back and for a few weeks.

I was thinking the Exchange could be the way to go, not immediate but a Bronze might be $500 or so pm. With options and possible subsidy.

Jerseygirl

I found that the length of stay was the problem. If you are residing in the UK...then you need UK travel/health insurance. This is normally for a max of 28 days. Also worth mentioning, if you are sick and need a doctor, or the doctor prescribes a new/alternative script...you must notify the insurance company and the will probably cancel the policy. This happened to the original company I insured my MIL with. The doctor changed her BP meds...policy cancelled.

scrubbedexpat099

Agree but he also said he is a Permanent Resident in the US so any trip to the UK would be the one requiring travel Insurance.

He is resident of one or the other, now if he was a US Citizen that could be either.

Begs the question where his wife is and if she is visiting the UK.

I am sort of assuming she has Medicare and travel insurance for visiting the UK.

Jerseygirl

The whole living in the UK and visiting the US...but I am a US PR doesn’t make sense. We need more clarification.

Ferd...how long have you been living in the UK? When was the last time you visited the US?

robin1234

Why couldn’t a person in his circumstances be a resident of both? Each country has its own rules defining who is a resident.