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The "been there done that" thread: life in the US after DV

Britsimon said:
Yes that is correct - at some point you must be on an ACA approved plan to avoid a fine (paid through tax). However, for a short term option, particularly during an activation trip or the first couple of months of permanent residence, they would be fine.
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Oh ok. But in the worst case scenario if takes you a while to get a job let's say three months do you still have to have coverage?
 
Linda Linda2 said:
Oh ok. But in the worst case scenario if takes you a while to get a job let's say three months do you still have to have coverage?
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Never mind I found the info if anyone is interested:
'In order to not have to pay the penalty for not having health insurance you can't be without insurance for more then 3 months.'
 
Linda Linda2 said:
Never mind I found the info if anyone is interested:
'In order to not have to pay the penalty for not having health insurance you can't be without insurance for more then 3 months.'
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Correct. However, the rules and penalties for not having ACA are pretty new - so expect some "fluidity" in how the rule is enforced.

Also, you don't want to be in the USA without some type of coverage (because the bills for a health issue can be enormous) - which is where the visitors coverage comes in handy.
 
Britsimon said:
Also, you don't want to be in the USA without some type of coverage (because the bills for a health issue can be enormous) - which is where the visitors coverage comes in handy.
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Yeah this is more important than the penalty, which is not overly onerous.
 
Linda Linda2 said:
Yep, Britsimon replied to me a while back but thanks anyway:)
Another quick question though. Do you know how long we have after arriving in the U.S. to apply to a health care plan?
Thank you
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You should get coverage shortly after you arrive. If you are uninsured, you could face penalties amounting to 2% of your total household income. You can obtain insurance through website: www.healthcare.gov. Even without penalties, healthcare costs from one single visit to a hospital ER can be high, so insurance makes sense.
 
Hello everyone,
I haven't received my green card yet (it's been less than 3 months) and I just got a job. I am worried that my employer will wonder if I am legal if I only show her the 1 year visa. Any tips?
Thank you!
 
Linda Linda2 said:
Hello everyone,
I haven't received my green card yet (it's been less than 3 months) and I just got a job. I am worried that my employer will wonder if I am legal if I only show her the 1 year visa. Any tips?
Thank you!
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Your employer should have the list of USCIS approved documents showing legal right to work, which includes the one year temporary green card in your passport. (It is NOT a 1-year visa, or indeed any kind of visa anymore.)

http://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/acceptable-documents/list-documents/form-i-9-acceptable-documents
 
Britsimon said:
Correct. However, the rules and penalties for not having ACA are pretty new - so expect some "fluidity" in how the rule is enforced.

Also, you don't want to be in the USA without some type of coverage (because the bills for a health issue can be enormous) - which is where the visitors coverage comes in handy.
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Is Medicaid comsidered enough coverage? I think so, having read the booklet of what it covers, it's awesome for those who just arrive and do not have a job... I got it very fast when I arrived <1 month but I had to wait about 2.5 months for supplemental health coverage.
 
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Flori_ALB_NY said:
Is Medicaid comsidered enough coverage? I think so, having read the booklet of what it covers, it's awesome for those who just arrive and do not have a job... I got it very fast when I arrived <1 month but I had to wait about 2.5 months for supplemental health coverage.
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How did you manage that? You're supposed to have a 5-year wait period for Medicaid unless you're pregnant or a refugee/asylee. https://www.healthcare.gov/immigrants/lawfully-present-immigrants/
 
@SusieQQQ maybe because we have a child:

Twenty-nine states, plus the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, have chosen to provide Medicaid coverage to lawfully residing children and/or pregnant women without a 5-year waiting period.

Or/and because being jobless at the time of application:

Medicaid provides payment for treatment of an emergency medical condition for people who meet all Medicaid eligibility criteria in the state (such as income and state residency), but don’t have an eligible immigration status.

Or/and being residents of NY:

https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-c...utreach-and-enrollment/lawfully-residing.html

It should all be ok in terms of not becoming a public charge:

Applying for Medicaid or CHIP, or getting savings for health insurance costs in the Marketplace, doesn’t make someone a "public charge." This means it won’t affect their chances of becoming a Lawful Permanent Resident or U.S. citizen.
 
Flori_ALB_NY said:
@SusieQQQ maybe because we have a child:

Twenty-nine states, plus the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, have chosen to provide Medicaid coverage to lawfully residing children and/or pregnant women without a 5-year waiting period.

Or/and because being jobless at the time of application:

Medicaid provides payment for treatment of an emergency medical condition for people who meet all Medicaid eligibility criteria in the state (such as income and state residency), but don’t have an eligible immigration status.

Or/and being residents of NY:

https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-c...utreach-and-enrollment/lawfully-residing.html

It should all be ok in terms of not becoming a public charge:

Applying for Medicaid or CHIP, or getting savings for health insurance costs in the Marketplace, doesn’t make someone a "public charge." This means it won’t affect their chances of becoming a Lawful Permanent Resident or U.S. citizen.
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Ok, I saw those in the link I posted, but it seems to limit the coverage to the child or pregnant woman from the way it's phrased. Being jobless seems to apply to emergency treatment only. I still don't see anything that gives the whole family normal coverage so it is still very interesting that you have it!!
 
Medicaid is not a good solution - it doesn't cover everything, and once you are working you can find yourself receiving bills for treatment you thought were covered. It's a silly position to put yourself in for the sake of saving a few bucks. You are better off getting coverage of some sort - and as soon as you are working you are obliged to get an ACA plan.
 
Hello dear new card holders,
I need one of those for the health insurance but the form I got before is the I-551 not the I-550.
I haven't got my GC yet so I can't get a real driver's license before i get it.
Would you know??
Thanks!
  • Department of State Form DS-1350
  • U.S. Passport
  • Certificate of Child Born Abroad
  • Department of State Form FS-545
  • Department of State Form FS-240
  • Certificate of Birth Abroad
  • Certificate of Naturalization
  • Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) Form N-550
  • INS Forms N-570
  • INS Forms N-578
  • INS Forms N-565
  • INDV Fee Register Receipt (INS Form G-711)
  • Certificate of U.S. Citizenship
  • INS Form N-560
  • INS Form N-561
  • A valid state-issued driver's license
 
Linda Linda2 said:
Hello dear new card holders,
I need one of those for the health insurance but the form I got before is the I-551 not the I-550.
I haven't got my GC yet so I can't get a real driver's license before i get it.
Would you know??
Thanks!
  • Department of State Form DS-1350
  • U.S. Passport
  • Certificate of Child Born Abroad
  • Department of State Form FS-545
  • Department of State Form FS-240
  • Certificate of Birth Abroad
  • Certificate of Naturalization
  • Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) Form N-550
  • INS Forms N-570
  • INS Forms N-578
  • INS Forms N-565
  • INDV Fee Register Receipt (INS Form G-711)
  • Certificate of U.S. Citizenship
  • INS Form N-560
  • INS Form N-561
  • A valid state-issued driver's license
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Your endorsed visa is the same as a "real Green Card".
 
@SusieQQQ, if I recall well, you activated then took about a year to make the big,move.
Kindly share with those in a similar situation on how to go about filing tax returns.
 
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