murray18

Hi there,

My husband and i are trying to start the process of moving to the US. We want to move to California, but we have many questions!! Please help!

Firstly, my daughter (5) has Cystic Fibrosis, we obviously need to look into healthcare over in the US, but have no idea how to do this. We are aware that it will be expensive, but how do we get quotes etc? and also, if we move there but we are still UK Citizens are we still able to place her prescriptions in the UK and have my family ship them over to us? Her care centre here in the UK are happy to see her annually for her review (which we would travel here for) so does the fact that she is being seen by doctors in the UK have any bearing on this?

Also, my husband hopes to start his own business in the US, would we be able to get health cover for the 4 of us as an employer instead of as a family?

Any help that could be offered would be greatly appreciated. My daughter keeps very well whilst in california as the climate seems to be benficial to her, so we are very keen to do what we can to get out there.

Thanks

fatbrit

No, no, no!

You do not take a seriously ill child from a place with universal healthcare to a place that doesn't have it.

murray18

The Heathcare in California for this particular condition is excellent, and we are happy to pay to have it fully covered, her standard of care is our main priority and we wouldnt compromise on this. But I didnt post on here to explain that.

I'm hoping for advise regarding the questions i asked. Can you help with this??

fatbrit

You haven't established you have a realistic chance of living and working in the US, yet.

scrubbedexpat099

If the heath care is excellent and you can afford to pay for it then what is the problem?

Derrygal

So you'd be living here in the US but going back to the UK to use the NHS? Not sure that is legal.

Englishmum

First of all you can't use the NHS if you are not living in the UK.

Secondly, the main cause of bankruptcies in the USA are medical bills. Do you want to risk this, or to lose your house?

I hope you're not a troll.....but in case you are not, read the 'stickies' at the top of the USA page....

murray18

Sorry, I was really just hoping to have some questions answered.
We are at an early stage in the process and have a lot that needs considered so was hoping this would be an ideal place to ask those questions.
I have no idea what is and what isnt acceptable in terms of care in the UK. All I know is that her team in the UK have said they would happily see her when we were back in the UK. I am only going with what they said.

Boiler - there is no problem - just asking for advise on how to go about getting quotes.

Englishmum - I have no idea what a 'troll' is. Will read what you have advised.

Steve_

Not unless you pay the full retail price for them (and also theoretically CBP has a problem with you importing them once you become a US resident, but in reality they rarely care). Ditto for NHS care, you can use it but as you are no longer resident in the UK you have to pay for it. It's not like being in the EU where there are reciprocal treaties you can claim on.

I have to say quite honestly I don't know how ill people afford to live in the US, especially in California with the cost of co-payments on the plans there. One of the reasons I live in Canada is because of the cost of healthcare in the US. Phone up a pharmacy in California and ask them how much the most common medication you buy costs there and you will see why.

Another common thing I hear is that people will get travel insurance from whoever to cover them - doesn't work that way, they're underwritten by US insurers who will not cover a pre-existing condition.

murray18

Thank you for the advise. Was all I was looking for!! We are happy to pay for her to have an annual check-up here in the UK, gives us peace of mind that her team here are still involved in her care.

We're just not sure whether to try and get quotes as a family or as an emplyer. There is that chance that my husband will become employed in the US, and possibly we could get health cover through that employer. But this option is not decided yet.

Thanks again for your help.

SanDiegogirl

Since you are contemplating moving without jobs to come to, you will need to find individual health coverage for your family.

This will mean approaching a number of such companies, and providing them with your details - including health histories, current illnesses.

US medical insurance companies have no obligation to provide health insurance coverage to individuals. They are notorious for turning down applicants for even the most trivial conditions. Your daughter's condition is likely to be a major factor in them refusing her coverage - even if they do offer coverage it is going to be very expensive (think of thousands of dollars a month premium)

There are State run high risk pools which you would be able to investigate and apply for if the insurance companies turn you down.

Try ehealthinsurance.com for quotes and listings of the companies available.

With regard prescriptions from the UK, you are not eligible for the NHS once you left the UK for 3 months and are no longer resident there.

With regard your husband starting a business , I don't believe he can then offer health cover to his family when they are not employees of the business.

...... and of course, before any of this can be done you first need to get a visa.

scrubbedexpat099

If he can get a job with good health insurance then problem maybe not solved but manageable.

Steve_

Having been there and done that, i.e. having to find cover for myself, I can tell you this - no prescription drug plan is worth paying for, it costs more than just buying the drugs over the counter. The trick is to buy them on-line or visit Canada.

You might find it worth getting a healthcare plan so you can see the doctor though, the reason being that they use schedules for each insurer so that can work out cheaper than simply paying up front.

Either way it will be expensive, just a matter of degree.

Bob

You don't say how you plan on getting visa's...so that's the first hurdle, if that's do able...search out the millions of threads about healthcare in the US to get an idea.

There's a thread about a couple contemplating a move to Florida with pre-existing conditions, the same hurdles will apply to you.

It will be expensive and more likely have high deductibles and co-pays.

Unless you're willing to go bankrupt, I wouldn't do it where health and kids are concerned.

GeoffM

Note what others have said. My comments below reflect my research and not actual experience (yet) as to moving to CA with pre-existing.

As others have said, while your NHS doctors may be happy to see your daughter, that doesn't mean it will be free. You can't get your £7.20 prescriptions per item shipped over - not legally, at least (or free, as your child is under 16). Think of it simply in this way, the NHS is like insurance: you're only covered while you pay for it (in your taxes or benefits in this case). Once you're abroad, why should UK taxpayers pay for it?

Do-able, but note that to get group coverage and thus some sort of pre-existing condition coverage, he'll need at least 1.5 employees including himself in CA. Thus, for example, he could work 40 hours a week and you 20 hours. But, as I understand it, you will have to prove that you (or somebody else) does those 20-29 hours part time for that company. Preferably, of course, additional full-time employees. But whether that gives you affordable premiums is a wholly different matter. And then there are co-pays, deductibles.......

Given that you've said your husband might try starting a business, I assume you don't have a job offer. You don't mention family so I assume you don't have family visa sponsorship. Which probably means (as others have said) you need to look at whether you can actually emigrate to the US first - and then decide whether you can afford to live in the US with those health conditions. Based on those assumptions, you probably have a better future in the UK for the next 3 years at least, unless your situation changes.

FWIW I have pre-existing and intending to move to CA, and have to weigh up the costs (in more than just financial) versus benefits. It's not easy by any means.

(A troll is somebody who fires off a malicious, argumentative, or otherwise inflammatory thread that is likely to get lots of reaction, while the troll itself either ignites further or stands back and watches the fun)