purplebug

I'm staying with my wife and her family in Colorado while I wait for my green card approval - I intended to go home and do it through the consulate, but life happened and I had to switch to doing it from here. I brought enough medication to get me through a shorter visit than I had planned, so I'm going to run out in September. My wife should be able to put me on her job's health insurance starting in October, but even a day without my antidepressants would be hellish, the withdrawals are worse than the depression! My immigration lawyer says I should avoid using clinics that offer low cost services, as that would be using public funds and might label me a "drain on the system", so I'm looking for advice on how to get antidepressants prescribed without having health insurance (I have nomad insurance that only covers emergencies), but without using public funds. I know I can use goodrx to save money once I have the prescription, but I don't know anything about the doctor side of things. Are any of the telehealth online options any good? Do I have to be a legal resident to use them? I don't even have an SSN until my work authorization card comes through, my UK passport is my only form of ID! Any thoughts? Thanks!

Noorah101

Marriage is usually considered a "life event" so your wife should be able to add you to her insurance now, rather than waiting for open enrollment in October.

Rene

purplebug

Normally, yes, but she just started her new job in mid August, so apparently her insurance starts from the month after her first full month?

tht

Urgent care is usually $200-300 without insurance, but not sure they would have the right specialists.

Since you already have a diagnosis, maybe you can get an online consultation and get a prescription, it may be a little cheaper, a simple google brings up things like this:

https://care.khealth.com

purplebug

That's the kind of things I was finding! I don't have to have an SSN or legal residence for that, do I?

SanDiegogirl

delete

SanDiegogirl

They haven't just got married as they were applying for the I-130 back in 2020. More like just moved back to the US as a life event.

purplebug

Yes, we had to postpone that attempt. We moved back and tried again this year after too many health and fire related disasters happened to my in-laws for us to stay abroad.
Why'd you say "delete"? Is there something wrong with my post?

RICH

I am fairly sure you can pay a Doctor to write the prescription you need, and then pay a Pharmacy for that prescription, even if you were just in US on holiday.

Noorah101

She deleted her own post.

Rene

purplebug

Ohh, okay. Thanks! I was worried I'd done something wrong!

purplebug

Okay, cool. Just a regular doctor, I guess. The only ones I know are the Kaiser doctors my wife goes to (until her work insurance kicks in, we don't know who the provider is yet), but I'm pretty sure they need you to be on Kaiser insurance. So, I'm going to try one of those online telehealth docs. Thanks!

Noorah101

I believe doctors will see any patient, not just ones who have insurance. Call around.

Rene

Pulaski

Insurance is just the means of settling the bill. Anyone can see a doctor, and there are a few that don't accept insurance and only work for direct payment by the patient.

LegalEagleTX

There are plenty of low cost clinics that you pay on the visit. I used one for a non-complicated wrist fracture, which cost $220 for x-rays, diagnosis by radiologist, a splint and prescription for painkillers (which I didn't use) and was significantly cheaper than had I used health insurance in-network where my deductible is extremely high. The clinic was quick, clean and friendly unlike many of my experiences with my local NHS doctor back in the UK which tended to be extremely busy and slow. Basic healthcare services are not too expensive if you pay cash in my experience, it is only when specialists are involved that costs exponentially increase.