Healthcare Coverage for Foreign Spouses

[jwdoetsch]

Howdy all,

 

When did you all add your spouses to your healthcare plan? I'm working on signing up for subsidized healthcare on Healthcare.gov to take advantage of those sweet sweet Premium Tax Credits but my wife doesn't yet have an Alien ID number, tax ID, or SSN... We're actually still present in China and will probably be sticking around until the summer, but I'd like to establish healthcare for the sake of evidence for establishing domicile during my wife's IV interview.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks, guys!

 

Peace,

Jake

[Randy W]

Howdy all,

 

When did you all add your spouses to your healthcare plan? I'm working on signing up for subsidized healthcare on Healthcare.gov to take advantage of those sweet sweet Premium Tax Credits but my wife doesn't yet have an Alien ID number, tax ID, or SSN... We're actually still present in China and will probably be sticking around until the summer, but I'd like to establish healthcare for the sake of evidence for establishing domicile during my wife's IV interview.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks, guys!

 

Peace,

Jake

 

 

I don't see any reason why you wouldn't wait until you were back in the states. Nor do I see any advantage as domicile evidence.

 

You can PROBABLY purchase insurance for her, but it's doubtful that it could provide any coverage while she is still in China.

 

Of course, that depends on the policy and how much you're willing to pay.

 

Buying "evidence" may not provide much benefit.

[dnoblett]

Once my wife was in the states, and married, I simply visited my employers human resources department and added her to my coverage.

 

Many topics about Medical Insurance

[Dan777]

Howdy all,

 

When did you all add your spouses to your healthcare plan? I'm working on signing up for subsidized healthcare on Healthcare.gov to take advantage of those sweet sweet Premium Tax Credits but my wife doesn't yet have an Alien ID number, tax ID, or SSN... We're actually still present in China and will probably be sticking around until the summer, but I'd like to establish healthcare for the sake of evidence for establishing domicile during my wife's IV interview.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks, guys!

 

Peace,

Jake

You are going to need all those numbers. I have my wife on a healthcare plan from healthcare.gov. It was a large problem with multiple calls, snail mail and visits online. I doubt wild horses could drag my wife to a doctor or dentist but it was not that much more money to add her. This year they want me to prove I am an American citizen and so far nothing about my wife. Good luck. I was turned down the first time for a tax ID number. Social security told me she could not get a Number but that went ok (I told them she could). The health.care was so much of a hassle I doubt you will get approved. I would wait until you get all the numbers.

[jwdoetsch]

Thanks for the input, guys. Wanting healthcare for evidence of intent to establish domicile is really secondary. I just want her and I to have health insurance on our first day back in the states. Also, I'd like health coverage just in case I have to drop back to the US for emergency health care. But it sounds like that's not exactly going to be possible on account of her not having any relevant ID numbers.

 

We just got married yesterday and that qualification for a special enrollment period only lasts for 60 days after the date of marriage. So, basically, we're going to have to apply at the same time when we drop into the states (qualifies for a special enrollments period when moving to a different state or, in our case, moving back to a state). I wonder if the special enrollment qualification applies to couples or individuals...

 

And, because today is the deadline for February 1st coverage, the call-center won't even let you wait for a representative and is making us provide a phone number so they can call us back. But it's got to be a US phone number.

 

It sucks being an edge-case.

[KevinNelson]

I'm wondering about this healthcare issue. A major part of the whole process of bringing a foreign spouse into the country is that there is no dependency upon government services. Then comes Obamacare, killing many insurance plans, especially the less expensive ones. Does getting an Obamacare plan constitute independence or dependence upon government?

[Randy W]

I'm wondering about this healthcare issue. A major part of the whole process of bringing a foreign spouse into the country is that there is no dependency upon government services. Then comes Obamacare, killing many insurance plans, especially the less expensive ones. Does getting an Obamacare plan constitute independence or dependence upon government?

 

 

Independence - don't worry about it. Your only problem there comes when you go to fill out your tax return (I'm talking about any penalties you might incur if you DON'T have insurance). Obamacare is NOT a government service.

 

The issue is whether she might become a "public charge" - this is what the USCIS has to say about that: http://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/public-charge

 

That page discusses the issues pretty thoroughly, including the role played by the I-864. You may wish to read over the entire page. Obamacare is not mentioned on the page (that I noticed). I'm pretty sure it does NOT enter into the equation as "public assistance" in any way.