Timothytoad

Hello

I am likely to be living in Columbus as a cohabiting partner with my girlfriend in the next couple of months but I have no idea of the cost or availability of health insurance for non US citizens. I will be 39 in August and have no serious health problems. I am expecting to be living there for at least a year so i'm not sure if I need to approach Uk insurance companies or US ones. If anyone has info or any weblinks to reasonable insurance companies it would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks

dunroving

I short, it's likely to be bloody expensive - loads of threads on here if you want to run a search and save time waiting for replies.

Also, expect lots of responses asking you about your immigration status - if you have a visa lined up, you might just want to say so, or you're likely to get more responses telling you that you can't simply cohabit for a year in the US, rather than getting answers to your original question.

Timothytoad

Thanks dunroving. I was hoping to get a cohabiting partner visa as I've been living with may girlfriend for almost two years and her company will be paying her enough to cover my rent and bills. I'm going to make an appointment with the US embassy this week for advice and to see if that is a viable option. If not, I'm pretty stumped.

Rete

There is no such visa for co-habitation. You either have to find a visa that will allow you to live and work here based upon employment with a sponsoring employer or an investment visa or a student visa. Or worse yet , you will have to marry.

So you have been living in the US for two years with her or has she been living with you in the UK for 2 years?

scrubbedexpat099

He is talking about a B2 Cohabiting Visitor Visa.

The Consulate do not give advice.

Get added to the GF's company insurance.

WARPed

I used SevenCorners when I got here:

http://www.sevencorners.com/insuranc...igrantmedical/

It is really only for critical coverage and the maximum won't get you too far with current medical costs but it is at least something. Take a look and see if you are eligible.

tamms_1965

Enroll at Columbus State Community College ($210 per credit hr for intl students, 11 or 12 hours is full-time but I think you only need to be signed up for 6 hrs) and sign up for insurance through one of the providers they use.

http://www.cscc.edu/about/fees.htm

If you're under 25, I think it's about $200 a month for int'l.

HumphreyC

My wife is currently in the States and she is paying $300 dollars a month for Blue Shield. I'm either going to do that or go on my companies group plan; probably the group plan as it works out cheaper.

From what I can tell from this forum, insurance is expensive, doesn't seem to be in the habit of paying out, and I am going to have to sell all my belongings and declare bankruptcy just to get someone to look at my piles.

Bomjeito

I'd love to see which US companies provide health insurance for heterosexual partners. A few provide for same sex partners that cannot get married. It was big news a few years back in Las Vegas when Harrah's, a HUGE company, began to quietly provide options for health insurance for same sex partners.

I'll tell you, I AM American and no company in as many states as I've lived would my live-in boyfriend's company provide MY health insurance. If single, then I'm on my own for that (American or foreign.)

US isn't like Europe in the civil partnership laws at all....

I've never heard of a cohabitating visa for the USA. And even if there is one, that is not a golden ticket to health insurance.

Only option is you are legally resident (or pay more as international student) is to go through the insurance plans at many (generally) state-funded universities. Its primarily major medical only (meaning if you get hit by a car, you are covered. If you get the flu, or need basic help, forget it.)

Urgent care in USA will cover you in minor incidents, but huge problems, major medical plans are not that unreasonable.

Rete

Try New York State. Friends who are living together where the female in the relationship has no insurance is covered under her partner's healthcare supplied by the port authority.

meauxna

There most definitely is a B-2 co-habiting partner visa available. Whether or not this OP qualifies for one, I don't know.
This type of visa is to allow the partner to hang out here in the US with their partner. They can't work etc. And, they don't get any "partner" benefits in the US because of it. They simply have a higher chance of being admitted in a 12 month increment.


Common-law Spouses and Partners

U.S. visa law does not recognize common-law relationships; therefore a partner or fiancée is not eligible to apply for derivative visa status. In such cases, the partner is required to qualify for a visa in his or her own right. Partners who are members of the household of the principal visa holder and whose primary purpose in traveling to the United States is to accompany that person, may apply for a B-2 visa.
(more)

meauxna

The bolded part is what sounds weird to me; I know you posted it before. How can they be paying enough to cover your bills when you don't know what those will be yet?

And, the Embassy is not the place to go get advice. If you think you qualify for a cohabiting B, your GF's company immigration attorney should be handling this for you, or you should hire your own. You can't just waltz in and get one; if you haven't noticed, it's a very rare visa type.

Use your google fu to look at sites like ehealthinsurance.com etc to compare some costs. I'm afraid you're in for a shock.

Rete

I know, I know, I know.

I thought his girlfriend was a USC. Only later realized she was a Brit.

scrubbedexpat099

Large companies right their own HR policies including medical coverage, who they will and who they wont. There is regulation at one end but if they wanted to cover your dog as well they could.

IF the employer wants her over there enough they could make it happen.

tamms_1965

These unis have free clinics for basic help. The big uni my daughter goes to does and the small one by my house does also. She used the clinic this past winter when she had the flu even though she doesn't have the uni insurance. All full-time students get charged a small "clinic fee" each quarter. The one close to my house has this on their website,

"All students, including international students, may receive treatment for minor ailments at the Student Health Services office on campus. Depending on the nature of the illness or injury, the physician may recommend hospital care, which can be costly. To help cover hospital expenses, a Student Health Insurance Plan is offered by XXX University at competitive rates. "