How are your parents managing to pay or how are you managing to pay for their healthcare if you’re in the US? How is it working if the parents are newly come over and don’t have access to Medicare because they didn’t work in the US during their youth or their immigration status? We all want to avoid putting our elderly in nursing homes but how are people managing the financial side of care?
Elderly and Healthcare
Medicare handled everything for my husbands grandmother and I believe my MIL was insured by the state for her diagnoses and treatment but I'm not sure of the details of that. Everything including nurse visits to the home was covered by Medicare for my husbands grandmother. I think most seniors have access to covered healthcare.
I don't think new immigrants above a certain age can buy insurance, and they are also not covered under Medicare or Medicaid.
Isn't US health care system grand?
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Funny, I am studying this right now actually. Medicare does not cover everything contrary to belief!! Long term care is NOT covered by Medicare for more than 3 months. Hospitalization does not require payment of premiums but there is a deductible of a $1000 per period. Physician visits and Drug coverage are covered but do have a premium, even though its not a huge amount like private insurance. Medicare Advantage and Medigap exist to cover deductibles and other such costs but these are premium based too. As for legal immigrants such as parents, it used to be that they were immediately covered under medicare if they met the age requirement but now they have to wait 5 years. Private insurance exists but ususally did not cover pre existing conditions, something that the Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare has taken awayy. But there shall be premiums left to pay. The market exchange insurances created under Obamacare could provide you with tax subsidies depending upon your income. yes, legal immigrants who have been here less than 5 years can get insurance through Obamacare.
Elderly and Healthcare
Desi parents who are new immigrants usually show themselves independent or show low income which qualifies them for Medicaid no matter their age
The market exchange insurances created under Obamacare could provide you with tax subsidies depending upon your income. yes, legal immigrants who have been here less than 5 years can get insurance through Obamacare.
But that is if you are not in Medicare eligibility by age. Above 70 or so are in limbo as far as I know. If you have information that is different please share that. Would be helpful to many.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Desi parents who are new immigrants usually show themselves independent or show low income which qualifies them for Medicaid no matter their age
^^yeah but that way, who ever sponsored them will have to pay for that.
Desi parents who are new immigrants usually show themselves independent or show low income which qualifies them for Medicaid no matter their age
1- 5 year rule still applies
2- if their children filled out the financial sponsorship affidavit, then both can get in massive trouble if caught.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
1- 5 year rule still applies
2- if their children filled out the financial sponsorship affidavit, then both can get in massive trouble if caught.
There is no 5 yr rule i am aware of. filled out paperwork for an aunty and her son (cousin of mine) who has been here for only 2 years - they are permanent residents. There son works as a cashier and so not making much money of course and she doesn't work - so their income is quite below the level which qualifies them for medicaid. As for the living situation, they need to show a letter of support from their sponsor that she and her son are living with them and they are providing financial support/food etc.
Its quite the loop holes and trouble you have to go through but its possible if you know what you are doing.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
as far as i know, medicaid is available to anyone who does not have an income, or more than a certain amount in their bank account. anyone who is uninsured and has no income should try to go to the medicaid office and see what can be done. even illegals get healthcare in this country! the less $ you have, the more benefits you get, especially if you live in liberal states.
The rules for Medicare as far as I know are you have to have 40 quarters or 10 years of work, if you don’t then your spouse should. Or you will have to pay a higher premium to buy Medicare.
For recent immigrants, younger plate usually covered under their employer plans
Older immigrants who are not working have to wait 5 years before they can buy Medicare coverage.
Medicaid is need based, but immigrant and/or their sponsors have to show in immigration application that they will not be a public burden and a sponsor has to be a certain percentage above poverty line to sponsor. Some states have handled the 5 year stipulation differently from what I have read.
So the question is if you can’t claim poverty then what are the options?
Here is a link.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Depends on which state you live in as to whether there is a 5 year rule or not.
Depends on which state you live in as to whether there is a 5 year rule or not.
Got a list of states without the 5 year rule? CA is one I guess, where else
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Got a list of states without the 5 year rule? CA is one I guess, where else
pa and ny i know of
Great info guys. Thanks for the thread
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
MA is another. Or at least was, don't know what the new rules are.
X2 is right on. Medicaid is managed by states using federal dollars. And each state makes it own rules about eligibility.
Recent immigrants might be able to apply under disability, but when you apply for citizenship, you could get into trouble. In theory, the immigrant and the sponsor can be sued by the federal government for the monies received.
That said, there are two options which are legal and can be used.
It is not health insurance, but if you have a HSA plan, you can claim your parents as dependent and spend the HSA money on them without penalty. This is what we have been doing for the past couple of years. It has worked for us because my parents are relatively healthy alhumdulillah. If they need to see a doctor ( other than my wife), we go to the urgent care and it costs us about $95.00/visit For medicines we use pharmacy discount cards. It also works coz in our HSA plan the money rolls over end of the year. No lose it clause.
You can get insurance for them under obamacare by hiring your parents as household employees. Pay them just about the federal poverty level, and they will qualify for the maximum available assistance towards the premium. For a silver level plan, it might end up either being free or almost free. There will be some paperwork involved, eg;. filing payroll taxes etc., but could be worth it. My SIL is doing this; her parents-in-law babysit her two girls.
Insurance and taxes in US are unnecessarily complicated.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Wouldn't it be fradulent to hire family members as employees at home, just to get them insurance? Is that actually legal?
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Yes, sorry, I should have said non elderly meaning ages 65 and above. Truth is healthcare is very expensive in the US and Medicaid in some states is a joke e.g in many states you will not be eligible for Medicaid if you do not have dependent children. And if you do, the income eligibility in some states is $242 a month or below. Of course, some states do better than that but the income eligibility limits are still pathetic. For the uninitiated Medicare is the Federal insurance for people ages 65 and above and Medicaid is the state based insurance for the poor. Children get a better deal through states' CHIP program but that's another topic.
The problem lies for people who slip through the cracks, too rich to qualify for Medicaid and too poor to qualify for tax subsidies.
But that is if you are not in Medicare eligibility by age. Above 70 or so are in limbo as far as I know. If you have information that is different please share that. Would be helpful to many.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Well obamacare is meant to bridge those gaps, so that's why i'm wondering whether one can purchase a legal plan for an immigrant elderly parent who is here becuase his/her kids have immigrated here, and too old and frail to be left alone in their home country.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Depends on which state you live in as to whether there is a 5 year rule or not.
For Medicare there is a 5 year rule, reason being that is Federal and not state based.