Health insurance upon arrival in the US

[J&JP]

Hi everyone - It's my first time in the new forum - looks great!!

My Aussie husband and I are moving to San Diego in March 2012 with our toddler son after almost 6 years here in Oz.

I am looking into health insurance as my husband has a job lined up but will be an independent contractor for an Aussie company. Since I don't have a job lined up, we unfortunately will have to purchase our own insurance for the immediate future. I'm finding that in CA you have to be a resident of CA for 3 months before you can start coverage if it's a self-purchase policy. Annoying! (Man, I am going to miss Oz's health coverage!!)

Anyone have any ideas, other than our travel insurance, about what we can do? Are there any policies for new migrants or ways around that rule?

What did you do if you had to purchase your own insurance straight away?

Thanks!

[TwoUp]

I was looking at doing self funding a few months back because we are on Cobra - I wish I could find the site that I used to compare different products. Aurora might be able to help because I talked to her about it at one stage trying to understand the different terms etc. We stayed with Cobra because it covers 90% of our costs at the moment vs self funding which was 70 /30 - Cobra is what they give you when you loose your job! Nice word for 'how to go bankrupt while have good health care that your company who let you go so generously left in your hands to cover' - aka approximately 2000 a month for four. I don't know how average people do it in this country - it's got to be the worst part of living in the States. I wish someone could get it right and fix it! Good luck

[J&JP]

I was looking at doing self funding a few months back because we are on Cobra - I wish I could find the site that I used to compare different products. Aurora might be able to help because I talked to her about it at one stage trying to understand the different terms etc. We stayed with Cobra because it covers 90% of our costs at the moment vs self funding which was 70 /30 - Cobra is what they give you when you loose your job! Nice word for 'how to go bankrupt while have good health care that your company who let you go so generously left in your hands to cover' - aka approximately 2000 a month for four. I don't know how average people do it in this country - it's got to be the worst part of living in the States. I wish someone could get it right and fix it! Good luck

Thanks for that. I understand the terms and have identified a few policies. However, I fear that we will have to wait 3 months before coverage can commence and I am trying to find a way to get around it, or find a different type of policy that will allow us to start coverage straight away.

[aurora]

I am not sure what the rules are...but you may have to use your travel insurance for short term coverage if there is a 90-day eligibility waiting period.

I use http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/ to compare companies and policies, then you can always call a company directly as well if you have more questions. There are other companies who are NOT listed on this website, but it all comes down to individual choices and pricing as to which company works best for you and your situation.

Good luck.

[J&JP]

I am not sure what the rules are...but you may have to use your travel insurance for short term coverage if there is a 90-day eligibility waiting period.

I use http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/ to compare companies and policies, then you can always call a company directly as well if you have more questions. There are other companies who are NOT listed on this website, but it all comes down to individual choices and pricing as to which company works best for you and your situation.

Good luck.

Thanks! Aurora, do you know if we have to return to Oz in order to file claims? I'd have to take out travel insurance for 3 months which is no biggie, but can I file a claim from the US if necessary?

[J&JP]

Got an answer to my question... you can file a claim with your travel insurance while you are still on your "trip" so I am less worried about this now. Fingers crossed we will not have to utilise this after we move. I think we will take out a regular policy for my son and I (we are both citizens) if possible, and use a travel policy for my husband. If that does not work, we all go with a travel insurance policy.

[TwoUp]

Aurora a 90 day wait - is that just for major claims? that's how I understood it to be do you know?

[aurora]

I don't know for sure..but you are generally not eligible for employer health coverage until you have been working 90 days. In J&JP's original post she/he states a CA requirement for selfpaid insurance of a 90 day residency in the state of CA...so I am guessing it is along these same lines.

So, if that is the case, it would be for ANY claims or coverage not just major ones.

[J&JP]

I don't know for sure..but you are generally not eligible for employer health coverage until you have been working 90 days. In J&JP's original post she/he states a CA requirement for selfpaid insurance of a 90 day residency in the state of CA...so I am guessing it is along these same lines.

So, if that is the case, it would be for ANY claims or coverage not just major ones.

Yes, that is the case with some companies in CA. You cannot apply for 90 days. Some states are different. However, I think Kaiser Permanente will allow us to apply straight away which we will do before we leave Oz. As long as we are living there when the policy goes into effect they are fine from what I understand. What a pain in the bum after universal coverage here in Oz for the past 6 years!

[KeithS]

Try "Patriot America". It is a travel insurance but also applicable to new immigrants to the USA. We have used it since last August until we have been here long enough to get long term coverage. Approx $300 per month for $500,000 coverage with $1000 deductible.