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?
It is legal if you are paying them to do something eg, to take care of your kids. You would be paying that as childcare expense which in itself is tax deductible. IRS allows you to hire family members as employees as long as you pay payroll taxes. Check IRS publication 926. It has all the details.
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.
Yes, you can buy legal insurance for your parents if they don't qualify for Medicare (younger than 65 and less than 5 years in the country). The Obama Care market place insurances could help you qualify for tax subsidies too depending on your income and insurance can't deny you due to a pre existing condition anymore (due to Obamacare). Sadly, Medicare will not cover you if you end up needing long term care, which many elders do)beyond 100 days. Medicaid can cover you but it covers only nursing home care and not home care. Also, in most states you can own assets up to $2000 (not including your house) to qualify. Obamacare initially was about to provide a clause for long term care but sadly it didn't work out.
So, bottom line is, yes, you can get insurance for your parents but it will cost you. Insurance can charge higher premiums based on age.
Obamamcare was supposed to bridge gaps yes, but sadly due to a strong Republican presence in the Congress, a lot of things could not be done. Medicaid expansion was to be part of Obamacare (where states had to raise income limits in order to make more people eligible for Medicaid and Federal funds would help states too). However, states went to court and now, it all depends on the states themselves whether they go for expansion or not.
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.
Yep. It is particularly true in states that opted out from expanding medicaid coverage. In those states, people earning below FPL, don't qualify for any subsidy and have to pay the full amount of the premium. They are exempt from the requirement of insurance, but still, the people who need most assistance are unable to buy insurance.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Have you considered short-term travel insurance? Try the following two:
visitorcoverage.com
insubuy.com
Some of these plans cover existing condition, if it is a sudden onset.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Yep. It is particularly true in states that opted out from expanding medicaid coverage. In those states, people earning below FPL, don't qualify for any subsidy and have to pay the full amount of the premium. They are exempt from the requirement of insurance, but still, the people who need most assistance are unable to buy insurance.
i thought obama care, as of right now, implemented throughout the US. Yes there are states that are rebelling against it but nothing has happened yet. Obama care did bridge the gaps ... i know several friends whose relatives couldn't afford insurance due to cancer/terminal illness but now they can get their meds
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Actually, there was a supreme court decision and now its optional for states to go for Medicaid expansion. Some like Hawaii and going for it, some like Florida are not. This was just one part of Obamacre. the other part where people can buy insurance through the market place exchanges is implemented through the US, that is a federal program so states have to comply with it.
i thought obama care, as of right now, implemented throughout the US. Yes there are states that are rebelling against it but nothing has happened yet. Obama care did bridge the gaps ... i know several friends whose relatives couldn't afford insurance due to cancer/terminal illness but now they can get their meds
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
.... Obamamcare was supposed to bridge gaps yes, but sadly due to a strong Republican presence in the Congress, a lot of things could not be done. Medicaid expansion was to be part of Obamacare (where states had to raise income limits in order to make more people eligible for Medicaid and Federal funds would help states too). However, states went to court and now, it all depends on the states themselves whether they go for expansion or not.
Nicely put. In fact the coverage restrictions on immigrants was added to get support from GOP senators from Maine ( Susan Collins & Olympia Snowe ). The MA plan that obamacare was based on had some provisions for permanent residents, and restrictions were added later to control costs.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Actually, there was a supreme court decision and now its optional for states to go for Medicaid expansion. Some like Hawaii and going for it, some like Florida are not. This was just one part of Obamacre. the other part where people can buy insurance through the market place exchanges is implemented through the US, that is a federal program so states have to comply with it.
oh i see. I hate reading about all the healthcare stuff/bills etc. lol even though eventually i have to
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
^ You probably should...
The thing is if the elder is > 65 yrs of age, then they come here, and for 5 years they cannot get on Medicare...after 5 years, are they eligible, even though they never worked in this country or paid taxes in their youthful years? In other words, these are people who didn't pay into medicare, then how would medicare allow the elderly immigrants onto it (that's a lot of old people)? I'm reading you can get into medicare by working 10 years or you can get into medicare by paying your way in. Has anyone had to enroll their elderly parents by "paying into medicare" after they have been legal residents for > 5 years?
Sounds like obamacare gives options for those that have been here < 5 years but legally, which is a great blessing even if you do have to pay the full premium. What premium amounts are we talking about here?
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
so no real options for those above 65 who have not been here as legal immigrants for 5 years then right? is that the takeaway? (ignoring any poverty based medicaid, and barring the hiring them as employees thing?)
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
^ You probably should...
The thing is if the elder is > 65 yrs of age, then they come here, and for 5 years they cannot get on Medicare...after 5 years, are they eligible, even though they never worked in this country or paid taxes in their youthful years? In other words, these are people who didn't pay into medicare, then how would medicare allow the elderly immigrants onto it (that's a lot of old people)? I'm reading you can get into medicare by working 10 years or you can get into medicare by paying your way in. Has anyone had to enroll their elderly parents by "paying into medicare" after they have been legal residents for > 5 years?
Sounds like obamacare gives options for those that have been here < 5 years but legally, which is a great blessing even if you do have to pay the full premium. What premium amounts are we talking about here?
Between $14000 and $18000 a year for a silver plan
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
so no real options for those above 65 who have not been here as legal immigrants for 5 years then right? is that the takeaway? (ignoring any poverty based medicaid, and barring the hiring them as employees thing?)
You can always buy insurance regardless of age..it's just not affordable
[quote="X2, post:12, topic:313216"]
so no real options for those above 65 who have not been here as legal immigrants for 5 years then right? is that the takeaway? (ignoring any poverty based medicaid, and barring the hiring them as employees thing?)
You can always buy insurance regardless of age..it's just not affordable
[/QUOTE]
Can you give me a few
links?
It is pricey, but a serious medical emergency can cost hundreds of thousands which can be catastrophical for most people
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
https://www.healthcare.gov/ Next open enrollment starts November 2014 and ends February 15, 2015. Good thing is insurance cannot have life time limits on benefits like they used to anymore.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
danke, yeah life time limits and preexisting conditions stuff was shameful.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
They will become eligible for Medicare after 5 years whether they have worked here or not but premiums will be much higher in that case. Contrary to popular belief, Medicare is NOT COMPLETELY FREE even if you have worked all your life. So yes, you can pay into Medicare by paying your way in. Also, if your spouse has worked in the US and you have never worked, you are eligible for both medicare and Social Security benefits. The benefits might be different for the non- working spouse but there are benefits just the same.
As for premium amounts, if you have never worked than just to qualify for Medicare part A (hospitalization) which is usually premium free but has a deductible, will be $450 per month. If you have worked a little then your premiums will go down with the number of years you have worked. There is also a deductible for everyone on part A of about $1200 per benefit period (that is if you do get hospitalized).
There is then part B that covers doctors visits, lab tests etc. Most people pay a premium of $104 per month (don't know if this increases for people who have never worked here), this has an annual deductible of $147 per year. Then there is Drug Coverage known as medicare part D. It has a nominal premium based on income levels ranging from $12 to $69 per month. There may be a deductible as well depending upon which part D plan you sign up for but this does not exceed $310 per year. there is also a coverage gap aka the donut hole which means once you reach a certain amount that has been spent on drugs, Medicare stops paying for it and then after you pay for more drugs and reach a certain amount then medicare takes over again. There is Medicare Advantage (part C or Medigap) to help pay for certain deductibles and costs.
^ You probably should...
The thing is if the elder is > 65 yrs of age, then they come here, and for 5 years they cannot get on Medicare...after 5 years, are they eligible, even though they never worked in this country or paid taxes in their youthful years? In other words, these are people who didn't pay into medicare, then how would medicare allow the elderly immigrants onto it (that's a lot of old people)? I'm reading you can get into medicare by working 10 years or you can get into medicare by paying your way in. Has anyone had to enroll their elderly parents by "paying into medicare" after they have been legal residents for > 5 years?
Sounds like obamacare gives options for those that have been here < 5 years but legally, which is a great blessing even if you do have to pay the full premium. What premium amounts are we talking about here?
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Don't forget the Silver and Bronze Plans have yearly deductibles too on top of the premiums.
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Silver and bronze are through Obama care? That still ends up being a lot of money!
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
Yes, these are through Obamamcare.
Silver and bronze are through Obama care? That still ends up being a lot of money!
Re: Elderly and Healthcare
That is the reason why a lot of people will opt paying a penalty in the first year. These plans are not affordable for a majority of people without some level of subsidy.