In this article
Whether you are waiting to receive your Green Card or you have just now received it, it’s important for you to understand the health insurance requirements during this time. This way if you need to use any medical services while you are in the US, you are at peace knowing you have insurance to cover you.
Do I Need to Get Health Insurance While Waiting for a Green Card?
No, you are not legally obligated to have health insurance while you are waiting to get your Green Card. Of course, it’s still highly recommended that you do so, considering that most medical services in the US can cost several thousands of dollars.
Health Insurance Options for Green Card Applicants
Depending on your immigration status with your Green Card, you have a few options for health insurance as follows:
- If you’re waiting for your Green Card, then you need short-term visitor’s insurance.
- If you already have your Green card, then you are eligible for long-term health insurance same as any US citizen.
Health Insurance Options While Waiting for Your Green Card
As mentioned you can purchase short-term visitor’s insurance only while you are still waiting for your Green Card to be processed. This is because during that time you are still not considered a US resident but a visitor.
The best online insurance broker to find health insurance while you’re waiting for your Green Card is Insubuy. There, you can compare and compare the benefits of several visitor insurance plans and buy your insurance in a few simple steps.
It is important to mention that, there are some specific cases where you’re eligible for long-term insurance instead, even if you are still waiting for your Green Card to be finalized, e.g., if you are one of the following:
- A holder of non-immigrant visas such H1, H-2A, H-2B, student visas, U-visa, T-visa, and other visas.
- A citizen of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau.
- A refugee or an asylum seeker.
- A Cuban/Haitian entrant.
- Paroled into the US.
- A conditional entrant granted before 1980.
- A battered spouse, child, or parent.
- A victim of trafficking and/or their spouse, child, sibling, or parent.
- An individual Withholding of Deportation or Withholding of Removal under the immigration laws or under the Convention against Torture (CAT).
- An individual under temporary protected status (TPS).
- An individual under deferred enforced departure (DED).
- An individual under deferred action status (with the exception of deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA)).
- A lawful temporary resident.
- An individual under an administrative order of removal issued by the Department of Homeland Security.
- A member of a federally recognized Indian tribe or American Indian Born in Canada.
- A resident of American Samoa.
Health Insurance Options if You Already Have a Green Card
If you have already obtained your Green Card, you are considered a US resident, which means you have the same options for health insurance as any US citizen, as listed here:
Health Insurance Through Employment
If you are working in the US, you will most likely have insurance from your employer. This is one of the best and easiest options for getting health insurance. For one, your employer provides you with a health insurance policy, which means you are not required to spend time searching for one. Second, you pay for your policy each month from your salary, so you don’t have to worry about remaining uninsured.
However, if you become unemployed, you will have to find alternative health insurance options since you can no longer use the policy provided by your place of employment.
Health Insurance Through the Marketplace at Healthcare.gov
Once you receive your Green Card, you are considered a US permanent resident, which means you are eligible to buy your health insurance from the Marketplace at Healthcare.gov.
This government website allows you to find affordable health insurance plans that follow the Affordable Care Act (ACA) guidelines. The most convenient thing about Marketplace insurance is that you can find low-cost insurance policies or save on out-of-pocket expenses if you meet specific criteria, which you can find detailed here.
Before January 2019, under the legislation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obama Care, all US citizens and immigrants had to get health insurance compliant with ACA, or they would have to pay a fine, alongside paying their medical expenses.
But as of January 1, 2019, the federal law does not require citizens and immigrants to have health insurance – instead, it is up to each state to decide whether or not they will request their residents to acquire medical insurance.
Health Insurance Directly Through Private Companies
You also have the option to buy your insurance directly from a health insurance company in the US. With this option, you have more flexibility in terms of picking out a health insurance plan, but the price of your insurance may increase, and you don’t get subsidies like with Marketplace insurance. Its main advantage is that it’s independent from your employment, so even if you are unemployed, you can still carry health insurance.
Health Insurance Through State-funded Programs
If you meet the following criteria, you can be insured through state-funded programs such as the following:
- Medicaid for low-income families and individuals, and those who have disabilities.
- Medicare for individuals over the age of 65 and who cannot afford their own insurance.
To qualify for both, Medicaid and Medicare, you must have lived in the country for at least 5 years.
People may also be interested to know:
Do Green Card Holders Get Free Healthcare?
No, healthcare is not free in the US, and neither do Green Card holders get free healthcare. You can find more affordable health insurance options at the Marketplace, but you have to pay for your insurance and some medical services that are not covered by your insurance.
I have my Green Card, but I won’t be living in the US full time. Do I still need health insurance?
Yes, you still need health insurance for during that time you will be staying in the US. If you’re not staying for longer than three months, then you can look into visitor’s short-term health insurance at Insubuy. This is a great alternative for insurance if you’re staying in the country for a short period.
Health Insurance Options for People Over 65
Senior Green Card holders over 65 have two options regarding health insurance in the United States:
- Register with Medicare or other state-funded health plans. As mentioned previously Medicare is a great option if you are a Green Card holder over 65 and more. However, Medicare is available to senior Green Card holders if they have held their Green Card for over five years and have worked in the US for several others. If you don’t qualify for Medicare, you may qualify for Medicaid, depending on your situation.
- Purchase a private health insurance policy. If you have not lived in the US or worked prior to receiving your Green Card, you must purchase a health insurance plan catering to seniors. Finding a plan specific for seniors over 65 can be difficult as many insurance companies increase the price for senior plans or don’t cover pre-existing conditions. But, with private health insurance, you also have the option to purchase an international health insurance plan if you plan on traveling between the US and your home country.
Some senior Green Card holders tend to travel often between the United States and their home countries, so they need to have proper insurance during that time; here we’ve listed a few of the most affordable and comprehensive short-term plans for these kinds of trips:
| Patriot America Platinum – get a quote | INF Premier | INF Elite | Visitors care – get a quote | |
| Which insurance company offers the plan? | IMG (International Medical Group) | INF Insurance | INF Insurance | IMG (International Medical Group) |
| Maximum coverage | $2,000,000 | $200,000 | $150,000 | Up to $100,000 |
| Coverage areas | In-patient medical services, out-patient services, emergency services, Covid-19 coverage, etc. | In-patient and out-patient medical services. Other services with limitations, etc. | Repatriation, emergency services, intensive care unit services, etc. | Covid-19 coverage, some in-patient, and out-patient coverage, emergency services, etc. |
| Are pre-existing conditions included? | Acute onset issues of pre-chronic conditions. | Yes | Yes | Acute onset issues of pre-chronic conditions, including cardiac coverage for seniors over 70. |
| Average cost* | $321.38/month | $135.30/month | $337.80/month | $330.75/month |
*Please note that the average cost is most likely to change based on how long the insurance is purchased and what is the level of coverage.
Also read:
- Health Insurance for Seniors Over 80 in USA
- Health insurance for Canadian expats in USA
Did you find this page helpful?
Yes No
