New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2011
Location: Broomfield, CO!! (was St Albans UK)
Posts: 87
New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
Hi all,
I have been searching through reams of threads trying to find some advice on what to do for heath insurance when i arrive as an immigrant to the US and would appreciate some advice / personal experiences - there are so many options it is leaving me confused and frustrated.
Basically, I am flying in a week and it seems a bit of forward planning would have been a good idea. My wife is already in Colorado and has an individual insurance set up, with employer group insurance starting in 6 weeks from now. Apparently it could take up to 3 weeks to get me approved on her current individual policy so I am looking for other options. Are 'global medical insurance' plans aimed at expats of any value, and does anyone know if they can be active within a week?
Like I say, with hindsight I would have checked this out earlier, but as things stand does anyone have any useful advice please? I am getting worried...
thanks
Greg
I have been searching through reams of threads trying to find some advice on what to do for heath insurance when i arrive as an immigrant to the US and would appreciate some advice / personal experiences - there are so many options it is leaving me confused and frustrated.
Basically, I am flying in a week and it seems a bit of forward planning would have been a good idea. My wife is already in Colorado and has an individual insurance set up, with employer group insurance starting in 6 weeks from now. Apparently it could take up to 3 weeks to get me approved on her current individual policy so I am looking for other options. Are 'global medical insurance' plans aimed at expats of any value, and does anyone know if they can be active within a week?
Like I say, with hindsight I would have checked this out earlier, but as things stand does anyone have any useful advice please? I am getting worried...
thanks
Greg
#2
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
I moved your thread into the General USA forum where there are a lot more discussions on health care and insurance. Hopefully someone will come along to answer your question soon.
Rene
Moderator
Rene
Moderator
#3
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
Hi all,
I have been searching through reams of threads trying to find some advice on what to do for heath insurance when i arrive as an immigrant to the US and would appreciate some advice / personal experiences - there are so many options it is leaving me confused and frustrated.
Basically, I am flying in a week and it seems a bit of forward planning would have been a good idea. My wife is already in Colorado and has an individual insurance set up, with employer group insurance starting in 6 weeks from now. Apparently it could take up to 3 weeks to get me approved on her current individual policy so I am looking for other options. Are 'global medical insurance' plans aimed at expats of any value, and does anyone know if they can be active within a week?
Like I say, with hindsight I would have checked this out earlier, but as things stand does anyone have any useful advice please? I am getting worried...
thanks
Greg
I have been searching through reams of threads trying to find some advice on what to do for heath insurance when i arrive as an immigrant to the US and would appreciate some advice / personal experiences - there are so many options it is leaving me confused and frustrated.
Basically, I am flying in a week and it seems a bit of forward planning would have been a good idea. My wife is already in Colorado and has an individual insurance set up, with employer group insurance starting in 6 weeks from now. Apparently it could take up to 3 weeks to get me approved on her current individual policy so I am looking for other options. Are 'global medical insurance' plans aimed at expats of any value, and does anyone know if they can be active within a week?
Like I say, with hindsight I would have checked this out earlier, but as things stand does anyone have any useful advice please? I am getting worried...
thanks
Greg
Your first port of call should be the BE Wiki. You may find the info you're looking for in there.
#4
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Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2011
Location: Broomfield, CO!! (was St Albans UK)
Posts: 87
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
Your first port of call should be the BE Wiki. You may find the info you're looking for in there.
I figure that the 'temporary insurance providers' at the bottom are what I need, but wondered if anyone has specific experience with these type of providers. It is really difficult to work out what is and isn't covered, or which would provide 'prior credible coverage'.
Cigna are the only insurance provider i have actually heard of that provide this type of service - has anyone else used them for this?
#5
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
Hi, thanks I have already taken a look through the wiki:
I figure that the 'temporary insurance providers' at the bottom are what I need, but wondered if anyone has specific experience with these type of providers. It is really difficult to work out what is and isn't covered, or which would provide 'prior credible coverage'.
Cigna are the only insurance provider i have actually heard of that provide this type of service - has anyone else used them for this?
I figure that the 'temporary insurance providers' at the bottom are what I need, but wondered if anyone has specific experience with these type of providers. It is really difficult to work out what is and isn't covered, or which would provide 'prior credible coverage'.
Cigna are the only insurance provider i have actually heard of that provide this type of service - has anyone else used them for this?
Sorry I can't do it for you as the page is time sensitive.
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Feb 29th 2012 at 9:27 am.
#6
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2011
Location: Broomfield, CO!! (was St Albans UK)
Posts: 87
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
Go to this page....at the right hand side of the page you will see Search This Forum...go to Advanced Search. At the top left hand side of the page type in cigna...then select Search titles only. Press the Search tab...this should show all the threads where cigna is mentioned.
Sorry I can't do it for you as the page is time sensitive.
Sorry I can't do it for you as the page is time sensitive.
#7
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
There are a few people who have needed temporary cover when they first moved over here...hopefully they will be able to help you.
#8
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2011
Location: Broomfield, CO!! (was St Albans UK)
Posts: 87
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
No problem, thanks for helping. I am just worried as this is new territory for me - I'll ring round a few places in the morning, see if I can get some advice.
#9
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
It's one of those pieces of string questions.
It all depends on the policy, the state and what people are comfortable for in a deductible and for levels of coverage.
There have been threads that have recommended specific short term immigrant cover, at least two companies off the top of my head, but don't recall what the companies are called.
It all depends on the policy, the state and what people are comfortable for in a deductible and for levels of coverage.
There have been threads that have recommended specific short term immigrant cover, at least two companies off the top of my head, but don't recall what the companies are called.
#10
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,729
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
It's one of those pieces of string questions.
It all depends on the policy, the state and what people are comfortable for in a deductible and for levels of coverage.
There have been threads that have recommended specific short term immigrant cover, at least two companies off the top of my head, but don't recall what the companies are called.
It all depends on the policy, the state and what people are comfortable for in a deductible and for levels of coverage.
There have been threads that have recommended specific short term immigrant cover, at least two companies off the top of my head, but don't recall what the companies are called.
http://www.insubuy.com/patriot-america-insurance/
.....but I have never used them so cannot give any comments on them
#11
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,729
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
Hi all,
I have been searching through reams of threads trying to find some advice on what to do for heath insurance when i arrive as an immigrant to the US and would appreciate some advice / personal experiences - there are so many options it is leaving me confused and frustrated.
Basically, I am flying in a week and it seems a bit of forward planning would have been a good idea. My wife is already in Colorado and has an individual insurance set up, with employer group insurance starting in 6 weeks from now. Apparently it could take up to 3 weeks to get me approved on her current individual policy so I am looking for other options. Are 'global medical insurance' plans aimed at expats of any value, and does anyone know if they can be active within a week?
Like I say, with hindsight I would have checked this out earlier, but as things stand does anyone have any useful advice please? I am getting worried...
thanks
Greg
I have been searching through reams of threads trying to find some advice on what to do for heath insurance when i arrive as an immigrant to the US and would appreciate some advice / personal experiences - there are so many options it is leaving me confused and frustrated.
Basically, I am flying in a week and it seems a bit of forward planning would have been a good idea. My wife is already in Colorado and has an individual insurance set up, with employer group insurance starting in 6 weeks from now. Apparently it could take up to 3 weeks to get me approved on her current individual policy so I am looking for other options. Are 'global medical insurance' plans aimed at expats of any value, and does anyone know if they can be active within a week?
Like I say, with hindsight I would have checked this out earlier, but as things stand does anyone have any useful advice please? I am getting worried...
thanks
Greg
#12
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
Just be sure to read the fine print on those temporary coverages. Many of them are basically "hit by a truck" plans that will get you patched up should you be in an accident. They don't cover preventive care (i.e. doctor's visits) or major medical things like cancer.
You can find plans that are more comprehensive, but they cost a bit more.
You can find plans that are more comprehensive, but they cost a bit more.
#13
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Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 4,913
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
Yes, but if this is only temporary for a month or two until the OP can be covered by his wife's insurance through her employer's health plan he probably only needs "catastrophic" coverage just in case he does get "hit by a truck".
#14
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 4,759
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
I figure that the 'temporary insurance providers' at the bottom are what I need, but wondered if anyone has specific experience with these type of providers. It is really difficult to work out what is and isn't covered, or which would provide 'prior credible coverage'.
Yes, this is most likely what we'll do. Though I've had a written quote from a trade industry type of group policy, it's still going to be easier to set it up stateside but in the interim I'll get one of these temporary policies.
#15
Re: New Arrival Health Insurance Questions
I'm thinking of adding a "Prior Existing Coverage" section to the wiki to explain why it is important. Does anyone have some experience in what it took (i.e. what they had to get from the NHS) to prove prior coverage?