The Horticulturalist

Hi all,

Well our crappy six month policy is coming to an end and the insurance agent we are with was going to transfer us to a Blue Cross Blue Shield policy. We're not on a group plan but my husbands employer is paying for the coverage.

He emailed today to say that Blue Cross won't take us on due to me and the kids having no SS numbers (we're not entitled to get them)
He is looking at other options, but I'm starting to freak as my 6yr old has a pre-existing condition which Blue Shield said they would insure, not sure if there is another company that will though.

Has anyone had problems like this and found a way round it? I'm hoping there's a way to show them that we are here legally despite not having SS numbers, but if that's their policy I'm not sure what we can do. Any suggestions?

MsElui

you can get a letter from the ss office stating you are not eligible for ssn;s. Might help. Or apply for ITIN's when you submit your tax return and use those numbers instead. (beware the tax office are totally anal and seem to have a tendancy to reject your ITIN application on any old whim, - took us about 10 months for our kids numbers to come through on the third attempt).

Rebster

Was he told this by Blue Cross directly or was it someone in his company's HR department?

I am the American Citizen and my husband is British. When I started work here I had him added onto my BC/BS policy through work. He did not have a SSN at the time. In fact, he didn't even have his green card yet, just his temporary immigrant Visa. The girl at my HR department was very confused about how do "deal" with us and kept giving me incorrect information.

If I were you I would check directly with Blue Cross. There should be no reason why you cannot be added.

Good luck!

The Horticulturalist

I believe that the information was from Blue Cross as the insurance man would be dealing with them directly.

Rebster

It may well vary from state to state then. Though I live in Texas, my employer is based in CA so my Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy is actually a California policy. They insured my husband without a SSN.

I'm sorry you are having this problem.

Michelmas

Likewise with my policy. I don't think my BCBS people cared about my wifes SSN, just mine and the number / name of dependants

The Horticulturalist

Thanks all, I will pass this on to the insurance man and see if he will talk to them again.

Sue

I'd push to speak to someone further up, that doesn't sound right. Sometimes when you call a company and you don't fit their 'normal' criteria for stuff like that they get all confused.

The Horticulturalist

I think I might phone them myself......

lisa67

We (me and our 2 kids) were on my husbands BCBS policy for 6 years without us having SSNs. Hope this info. helps.

Bob

They don't need a SSN, it's BS...speak to someone higher up.

They like using a SSN, because it fits nice and easily onto the system as an ID number, but they'll take a passport number.

The Horticulturalist

I gave the insurance guy our visa numbers and my drivers license number, It was such a crazy day yesterday that I didn't ask whether that was for BCBS or not, I'll check today and let you know.

Rete

Have them check again. My husband was under my plan without a SSN. Sometimes you have to "speak" with a higher up.

They can use a dummy number until you get your ITIN's

Dan725

Ha, funny you should mention that. When the wife and I were married but living overseas, during a vist here we went to the IRS office to get me an ITIN so she could file her tax return appropriately. The retarded rude miserable cow we spoke to in the office must've been having a bad day or something - she was completely unfriendly and seemed to think we were there to try and get something illegally, and wouldn't even process the application, and didn't appear to even understand what an ITIN was. There was no arguing it - so we just left (giving appropriatley terrible feedback on the form you get there on the way out), and applied for the ITIN by mail - had no problems that way at all.

The Horticulturalist

Ok, so I spoke to our insurance agent. He said that the problem is not with BCBS but that the state of Mississippi law requires them to ask for the SS number, so that obviously wouldn't be a problem to other BCBS policy holders in others states, but it is for us.

He is looking at other policies so we should be ok - I hope!