Benefits for older parents who never worked in the US?

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nati309

Registered Users (C)
Hi,

My parents are immigrating to the US as relatives to a US citizen. They are older and cannot earn enough work credits to qualify for Social Security and Medicare the standard way. Are there any benefits they can qualify for to support them financially if they don't work?

thank you in advance! Any information is appreciated!
 
nati309 said:
Hi,

My parents are immigrating to the US as relatives to a US citizen. They are older and cannot earn enough work credits to qualify for Social Security and Medicare the standard way. Are there any benefits they can qualify for to support them financially if they don't work?

thank you in advance! Any information is appreciated!
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You will have to file an affidavid of support of them ! So hope you have a few pennies as your the ones who will have to support them
 
thanks, thankful. I was obviously trying to figure out if there is anything OTHER than my income... doesn't sounds like there is much, even when they become citizens...
 
nati309 said:
thanks, thankful. I was obviously trying to figure out if there is anything OTHER than my income... doesn't sounds like there is much, even when they become citizens...
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Actually when they do become citizens it is a different story. Citizens with limited income and resources are entitled to many things, like food stamp, SSI, Medicaid and so on. The problem is that under the 1996 welfare law green card holders cannot get most of these benefits.
 
nati309 said:
thanks, thankful. I was obviously trying to figure out if there is anything OTHER than my income... doesn't sounds like there is much, even when they become citizens...
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My father in law( immigrated last August with GC) gets $300/month in state aid, plus bare-bones version of Medicaid.

He is also eligible for subsidized housing for people over 60.

The state is Massachusetts.
 
When they turn into 65; they are eligible for Medicaid. It doesn't really matter whether they did work and/or how much do you make.
 
OK-Boy said:
When they turn into 65; they are eligible for Medicaid. It doesn't really matter whether they did work and/or how much do you make.
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It is not completely right - in our state (Massachusetts) there are several versions of Medicaid, and GC holders are only eligible for much more limited versions than citizens.
 
wombat said:
It is not completely right - in our state (Massachusetts) there are several versions of Medicaid, and GC holders are only eligible for much more limited versions than citizens.
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Same here in Illinois. If you get GC and you are over 65 you can't get medicare... Or at least not regular....
 
karl65 said:
Same here in Illinois. If you get GC and you are over 65 you can't get medicare... Or at least not regular....
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Let's keep things straight - MedicaRE and MedicaID are two completely different programs.

In order to get MedicaRE, one has to be 65 AND has to have been working in the US for 40 calendar quarters. If you have not worked for 40 quarters , you are not eligible for MedicaRE regardless of your immigration status.

MedicaID is generally for low-income people of any age.
 
OK-Boy said:
When they turn into 65; they are eligible for Medicaid. It doesn't really matter whether they did work and/or how much do you make.
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No. You can get Medicaid only if you are poor and many states have immigration-related requirements too.
 
Medicare is a program run by the federal government for people who are older than 65. It is an entitlement program and is not a form of welfare. Take a look at your paychecks--1.45% of your gross pay is gone to fund the program. You must have paid this tax for 10 years before you are eligible.

Medicaid is a welfare program. They are funded from income taxes to aid people with little income and resources. It is run by both the federal government and the states. So each state sets its own eligibility rules.

For Medicaid states can usually choose to give or not give aid to non-citizens. So determining if you are eligible means that you have to look up state laws. However if you (green card holder) have paid 10 years of taxes then you are by (federal) law eligible even if you are not a citizen. Beyond that, the usual rule of thumb is that the more liberal the state (in terms of politics) the more generous it is toward noncitizens.

I know that this is complicated. Let me know if I confused anybody.
 
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thankful said:
For Medicaid states can usually choose to give or not give aid to non-citizens. So determining if you are eligible means that you have to look up state laws. However if you (green card holder) have paid 10 years of taxes then you are by (federal) law eligible even if you are not a citizen.
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You certainly confused me here. 10 years of paying taxes makes one eligible for Medicare, not Medicaid.
 
wombat said:
You certainly confused me here. 10 years of paying taxes makes one eligible for Medicare, not Medicaid.
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Yes 10 years of tax payment make you eligible for Medicare. But they also put you in the same position as a citizen for Medicaid eligibility. If your income and assets are low enough make you eligible then you can get Medicaid. If you have less than 10 years of tax payment, a state can deny a noncitizen medicaid no matter how poor you are.


Example: A immigrated at the age of 35 and spend the next ten years working and paying taxes. At age 47 the person became really sick. He is not old enough for Medicare obviously. He has no money to pay his medical bills. Then a state must offer Medicaid help to that person even though he is not a citizen because of the 10+ years of tax payment. If he does not have that 10 years of tax payment then a state can refuse to help him (I know it is cruel but they can do that)

Both examples have come up in real life.

Count yourself lucky that you are in MA.

Does that help?
 
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Service before becoming LPR counts?

In terms of Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security youhave to work ten yrs before become eligible.

Many of US work several yrs before becoming LPR (green card holder) and pay federal and state taxes ( but not Social security and medicare etc. as I think)

SO my question is does those yrs of services before becoming LPR counts towards 10 yr period or not?

Also for some of the benefits, they also combine work of spouse, can some one high light for what type of SS, medicare or Medicaid benefits they combine work quarters of spouse, to meet 10 yr requirements.?

wombat said:
Yes, it does. Is there some federal statute that dictates Medicaid eligibility of non-citizens who paid into SS pool for ten years?
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I don't know about Medicare or Medicaid, but I know that the years contributing to SS before obtaining a green card count towards your SS eligibility. However, depending on your country of citizenship, you may not be able to collect SS unless you get at least a green card at some point.
 
I don't know about the 10 years bit, but it is my understanding that after you pay a certain amount of taxes in your employed life, you qualify for Medicare regardless of if you are a PR or not. Now, just because you qualify does not mean that you can claim it, for that they may ask for PR or citizenship evidence.

I personally get letters every year from the Social Security Administration office that shows how much Medicare I currently qualify for with the amount of taxes I have paid. BTW, I am not a PR yet, still waiting.

Again, I might be completely off the track here, but that is how my understanding goes for now.


Stoned!
 
StonedAnt said:
I don't know about the 10 years bit, but it is my understanding that after you pay a certain amount of taxes in your employed life, you qualify for Medicare regardless of if you are a PR or not.
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Medicare and SS eligibility has nothing to do with taxes, and everything to do with FICA contributions which are levied on US earned income only. You need to have contributed for 40 quarters to be eligible. Contributions made in another country with whom the US has a totalization treaty may count towards the 40 quarters for SS, but not Medicare.

Additionally, Medicare eligibility will in practice depend on permanent residency, since you need to be in the US for eligibility. I am exceptionally skeptical that Medicare will pay a foreign provider.
 
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