The Affordable Care Act (ACA) made it possible for green card holders and lawfully present immigrants to access subsidized health insurance through the exchange. These subsidies are available to those with low incomes who don’t have access to employer-sponsored coverage through their employers.
However, the Affordable Care Act prevented new immigrants from enrolling in a plan through the exchange when applying for an immigrant visa. As such, many would-be immigrants were unable to fulfill the proclamation’s requirement that they possess health insurance.
Immigrant health insurance
Immigrants looking for affordable health insurance while they wait for a greencard can take advantage of the ACA Marketplace (Obamacare), which offers comprehensive coverage with no annual or lifetime caps and no pre-existing condition exclusions.
Furthermore, the marketplace provides financial assistance to low-income people purchasing private health insurance through federal, state governments and private insurers.
Many immigrants may be eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), administered at the federal level. However, they may face eligibility restrictions. For instance, most lawful permanent residents or “green card” holders must wait five years after acquiring qualified status before enrolling in these programs.
The Biden Administration has reversed prior Trump Administration changes to public charge policies, which may help ease immigrant families’ concerns about participating in non-cash assistance programs like Medicaid and CHIP. Nevertheless, it will take time and sustained effort to rebuild trust and alleviate concerns about accessing care for these families.
Short-term health insurance
Are you an immigrant with a green card or in the process of applying? In either case, short-term health insurance plans may be available to cover some of your healthcare costs while waiting for approval. These plans cover visits to the doctor, hospitalization expenses, tests and surgeries.
Comparing short-term health insurance plans and getting a free online quote is the best way to ensure you find the plan that meets your requirements. The quote will provide details about different carriers, plan categories (PPO or HMO, for instance), plan level, premium price point and any subsidies or financial assistance that may be available.
Some short-term health insurance policies offer bonuses like a 24/7 telemedicine program and up to 70% off prescription drugs. Unfortunately, these plans usually have higher out-of-pocket costs and don’t typically cover preexisting conditions. If you have chronic illness or another serious medical issue, consider other options like an ACA-compliant plan which covers more of your healthcare expenses than short-term policies can.
Medicare
Senior Green Card holders with a qualifying work history in the US can access Medicare, the government health insurance program. Typically, this requires that they have worked for at least 10 years.
However, healthcare in the United States can be quite expensive. A consultation with a doctor could easily cost hundreds of dollars, while hospitalization could set you back thousands per night.
While waiting for your greencard, you may be able to purchase coverage through the health insurance exchange. Based on your income, you might even qualify for premium subsidies under ACA’s enhanced premium subsidy provisions which have been extended until 2025.
Lawfully present immigrants – such as refugees, asylees and LPRs who have resided in the United States for five or more years – are generally eligible for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Furthermore, they may qualify for federally-funded subsidies to cover some of their premium costs.
Marketplace
One of the advantages of waiting for your green card is access to a state and federal health insurance marketplace. There’s something for everyone in this wide array of plans available on Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s sites as well as through Obamacare open enrollment if you’re lucky; some plans even provide coverage up to five years consecutively! It’s important that you make an informed decision based on your individual circumstances; compare prices carefully and read all details thoroughly – finding a quality policy may be worth all that effort!
