Many ethnic people who live in the U.S. may sponsor Green Cards for their elderly parents or in-laws. Some of those new immigrants really live in the U.S. permanently (most of the time of the year) while others may shuttle back and forth between U.S. and their native country. Primary or secondary insurance for green card holders in each of those categories are similar in most cases, but they may differ in some cases, as described below.
What kind of health insurance options are available in the USA for greencard holders?
Please look at New Immigrant Health Insurance section for the available choices. Please read the new immigrants medical insurance plans guide to understand the choices.
If my new immigrant parents are going to live in the US permanently. What insurance plans are suitable?
If you are below the age of 65 years, consider enrolling them in a domestic individual health insurance plan.
If you looking for medical insurance for greencard holders over 65, consider these plans:
If you are 65 years of age and above, you must live in the US for five years before becoming eligible to buy Medicare. Therefore, the above plan is designed to provide insurance while you are waiting for enrollment eligibility. It provides coverage up to five years. The Bridge Plan can be purchased for up to 11 months at a time and then must be repurchased.
What is the "home country" in terms of insurance?
In general, the home country is the place where you live or where you spend most of your time in a year. The home country is the place where you have your fixed permanent home and you get your regular mail.
However, different government agencies consider your home country to be different. If you are Green Card holder, the IRS (tax department) considers your home country to be the US and you must pay income tax in the US on your worldwide income. USCIS (immigration department) considers Green Card holders to be the permanent residents of the US but allows the person to maintain the Green Card even if they spend up to 6 months in a year outside the US. and with a Re-Entry Permit, the person can stay outside the U.S. for up to 2 years at a time and still maintain "permanent resident" status of the U.S.
On the other hand, as there is no precise and universal definition of the home country and there is discrepancy in various government departments, different insurance companies consider the person's home country different based on the same set of circumstances.
Due to the gray area and discrepancy above, many elderly parents who recently got a greencard may not be entirely clear regarding what they should consider their home country.
Why can't green card holders purchase insurance plans like Atlas America or Visit USA-HealthCare?
These insurance companies and/or their administrators consider the US to be the home country for Green Card holders, and do not provide home country coverage.
We completely understand that you may be interested in purchasing plans like Atlas America because it provides a higher amount of acute onset of pre-existing conditions coverage. However, please understand that your first priority should be to purchase insurance that you are eligible for, and Green Card holders are not eligible for these plans.
How will the insurance company know that my parent is a Green Card holder?
Although though no documents are asked for at the time of purchase, it asks you to specify your 'Home Country' in the application. If you provide incorrect information per the policy terms and conditions, the insurance coverage would be void. Please keep in mind that the insurance company can request documents such as a passport, visa, I-94, etc. at any time, so be sure to fill out the information correctly.
How come there are more insurance choices for visitors to USA and more coverage for them, compared to greencard holders?
That is really not the case. Those who have worked in the U.S. for 40 quarters or more can enroll into Medicare when they are 65 years of age and that includes most U.S. citizens and permanent residents in the U.S. Most of the problem is because people who immigrate to the U.S.(rather, get green card) at that age, are attempting to join the system so late in life. Therefore, it is a matter of supply and demand and economics.
Pending Greencard
What if I have applied for a greencard but have not received it yet?
Eligibility for insurance is not always tied to whether the person has greencard or not, as it is strictly an immigration-related matter. If you are living in the US and you intend to live in the US permanently, the US would be considered your home country, and you can purchase plans accordingly.
What if I have not yet filed the greencard?
This needs to be analyzed on a case-by case basis. Please call our office and we would be glad to help you select the most suitable plan.
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