adamas

Hello

I am currently living in the UK and have received an offer from a US company. They are starting the process to apply for the H1B visa next April and, concurrently, the green card too.

Even though I realize that both routes are long and without any guarantee of success, especially now considering who is going to be president, I am already looking into how the health insurance policies work, as this may change my initial willingness to move to the USA because I have a pre-existing condition.

The company offers a group insurance, however I am worried about what could happen if ACA gets repealed and the provisions about pre-existing conditions totally scrapped. I have been told that, before ACA, some policies offered coverage even with pre-existing conditions provided that the person had continuous creditable coverage and no coverage gap.

In my case, since I am immigrating to the USA, I would have no such history of medical insurance, is that right? Or can I make the my coverage under NHS count to that?

Anyone could share his/her experience with health insurance as an immigrant with a pre-existing condition?

Thanks.

Rete

Company offered healthcare 99% of the time does not exclude pre-existing conditions. Honestly, I don't know all that much about ACA but I thought it was for those people who do not have company healthcare plans but need to find independent, individual healthcare plans. I do believe you can go the ACA way if you are unhappy with the company's plan and feel that you might get a better deal on premiums, deductibles and co-pays on a private plan.

adamas

Yes, currently the company insurance does not exclude pre-existing conditions. My worry was about if this situation can change in case the new Congress repeals ACA.

I asked the insurer and they said that, before ACA, some group policies could have denied coverage for pre-existing conditions if the person was in a coverage gap and had no continuous coverage. So I was wondering if this is my case since I would be moving to the USA for the first time in my life without any history there.

Nutmegger

Your have had continuous coverage with the NHS. Just bring your UK records.

adamas

So do you think that it will be accepted as creditable coverage history? Have you done it yourself?

Nutmegger

I have never been in your situation. You can search the forum, where it is frequently cited as appropriate coverage. After all, you've had NHS coverage all your life!

MidAtlantic

Yes as Nutmegger says NHS counts as continuous coverage. It did in my case.

morpeth

My experience with Group Health Insurance Plans is that most covered pre-existing conditions before the ACA legislation. Plus I really doubt that whatever changes coming to ACA that the requirements to cover pre-existing conditions will disappear. The uproar would be considerable, plus the Democrats can filibuster bills in the Senate.

adamas

Actually I have been living in the UK for just over a year, I am not British, but anyway in the European countries where I lived throughout my life I have always had either insurance or state healthcare.

As far as you know, do you have to show coverage history just for the period preceding your enrollment into the US plan or for all your life?

What exactly did you show as proof of continuous coverage with the NHS?

Thanks.

MidAtlantic

In my case, if I recall correctly, I just gave them a copy of my NHS card.

adamas

Yes, that is my sincere hope, otherwise I would have to reconsider the prospect of moving to the USA.

Or maybe I would not even have to worry about it if the president-elect decides to restrict working visas and green cards as soon as he is in office.

adamas

Good, thanks. I will safely guard that card.

morpeth

I wouldn't worry unduly about the implication of Trump's words during the election campaign, he will soon the reality of making changes in the face of Congress, and mechanics of changing laws and regulations are quite complicated will make things more complicated to change than he believes- and certainly changes he may wish to do will have some type of "grandfather" clauses for those granted green cards.

Simple enough though to ask prospective employer for number of the health insurance administrator they use for any questions beforehand. I doubt for group health insurance plan there will be many questions asked, I was briefly on a group plan last year, that particular plan didn't ask a single question about continuous health coverage, maybe just that plan or an oversight.

petitefrancaise

We moved to the USA from France but before that lived in the UK. My son has a pre-existing condition and we had no problems. We were not asked to provide proof of continuous coverage by the company health plan either.

adamas

Good to know, thanks. Did you move before Obamacare or when it was already in place?

Are you happy with your son's healthcare plan, compared to European public healthcare systems? Or the uncovered expenses are very high anyway?