Fishlioni

Hi, I've received been approved for a spousal visa IR1 and my family and I are moving to the US at the end of May. I was wondering if there is any specific short term (3-6 months) health insurance I can take out whilst i get situated. In addition, I will be travelling with my 2 children, The eldest (3) is a US citizen, but the youngest (10) months is only registered as a UK citizen at the minute. This is because of the pandemic, the London embassy weren't doing US citizen birth abroad registrations until beginning of May. Can you recommend any insurance for them? Likewise for my US citizen wife who needs a little time to get situated! And info/advice would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers!

Michael

tht

https://www.healthcare.gov/ - special enrollment should apply, once one of you get a job with benefits you can enroll and drop this one. When I have registered dependents on my work plans it has not asked their citizenship or immigration status.

hint the cost of my Insurnace was the same when we had 1 child and 2, basically the options were individual, couple and family, so you what them all on the same plan as this will be cheaper than individual ones.

you need to go to get a US passport or some sort of emergency travel document for your youngest child, in the US both of us had to attend and bring our son to get a passport. Your issue will be the travel ban and getting your child checked in if not. If you can get to the US boarder anyway I am not sure how you will prove their US Citizenship if not, maybe the UK birth certificate with both your names on. I have witnessed a US citizen attempting entry without a US passport, from what I overheard they had done it multiple times successfully so in practice assume it’s possible, but they were being told to get a US passport and also had a US Naturalization certificate which includes a photo so they were in a different situation to your youngest. When I first because a GC holder I needed to enter without my GC, I emailed the embassy and they were fast to respond and advise what I needed to do.

SanDiegogirl

So basically insurance for the whole family.?

Presume you are expecting to get a job with health benefits within 3 to 6 months?

If you Google 'Short term insurance US', you'll find plenty of companies offering short term insurance, although coverage might not be comprehensive.

Another alternative would be to go to your State's Health Insurance Exchange and get quotes for plans under Obamacare options; OR go to US insurance companies direct.

Giantaxe

With a whole family involved, I would get an ACA (Obamacare) policy. Depending on your future state of residence you may be able to get a minimal short term policy but (a) some states have banned them, and (b) benefits will be minimal. Having a US citizen baby enter on a non-US passport may be problematic unless you have something from the embassy. Technically US citizens are only allowed to enter the US on a US passport.

scrubbedexpat099

The Child will need a CRBA and US Passport bu seems that is being sorted? Early May is about now.

OCare is not immediate.

tht

What can’t they sign up now, it’s effectively open enrollment due to CB19?

“New, lower costs are here!

Find health coverage now

You can enroll in or change plans due to the COVID-19 emergency through August 15,
or see if you qualify for Medicaid or CHIP.”

https://www.healthcare.gov/

scrubbedexpat099

They are resident in the UK, OCare is not available in the UK.

tht

they don’t need it in the UK, and will be resident the day they move here, so they can sign up when they land.

Giantaxe

Right but coverage will start from the beginning of the month following enrollment not the day they arrive. Actually if you sign up near the end of a month you may have to wait until the month after that (?).

SanDiegogirl

Correct .. when they have an address and not before.....

civilservant

Spot on.

This is the actual problem. Not 'when can they complete the online application'

Ultimately if the worst were to happen and you were to get into a serious wreck driving from the airport you would be SOL and into possible medical bankruptcy immediately.

scrubbedexpat099

The USC’s may well be eligible for Medicaid