What did you do for medical insurance on arrival?

[roykirk]

I'm curious what married people did when their fiancees arrived here on K-1 (assuming you didn't use K-3).  I won't be able to add my girl to my insurance policy until we are married, and she told me Russian policies no longer cover citizens traveling abroad.  It makes me distinctly nervous to have her here for up to 3 months with no medical coverage.  Is there some sort of travel medical insurance she could take out on her end before she comes here? 

[Vaughn]

Roykirk,

  I never used these people, but I think they're worth checking out:

http://www.temporaryinsuranceplan.com/

  I had some funds stuffed away in case Elvira needed medical attention before my company
would add her to the group policy - admittedly, I flirted with disaster for a few months. In our
daughter's case, she was able to purchase a policy through the public school system immediately.

Vaughn

[Misha]

Is there some sort of travel medical insurance she could take out on her end before she comes here? 

My wife came to Canada as a tourist. She bought travel insurance. It was good for 6 months if I remember correctly. Cost a couple hundred bucks in Russia (6 or 7 thousand rubles).

[viking]

Many insurance companies will allow you to add a "domestic partner" (in lieu of a wife). that should work until her status changes.

[AnastassiaAsh]

So, then marry within first two weeks! 

[roykirk]

Thanks for the advice everyone!  Anastassia:  You're very evil.      

[AnastassiaAsh]

Thanks for the advice everyone!  Anastassia:  You're very evil.      

Hahahaha!  :crackthewhip: 

I just so hate it when couples or probably mostly he drags it till the 89th day...you know what i mean...I don't think it will be your case though. 
Quite a few men called me and asked me to translate their prenup of 10 pages and that was their 88th or 89th day and they wanted me to wave my magic wand and translate it in a day!   

[Gator]

Quite a few men called me and asked me to translate their prenup of 10 pages and that was their 88th or 89th day and they wanted me to wave my magic wand and translate it in a day!   

We got married in 14 days (small ceremony at home, family only).   That took some doing.

Getting medical insurance was more difficult.  When she enrolled at the local university, I was able to purchase coverage for her.   Otherwise, insurance companies require that she must have been in the USA for one year before issuing a policy.

[Sailor291]

Lets take this several steps further.  My inlaws have green cards, are both over 65.  Try getting medical insurance for them.  I dont believe it can be done.  If you contact an insurance company, they wont insure them because they think that since they are over 65 they can get Medicare, wrong.  Cant get medicare until they have been residents for 7 years.  So, what does one do?  I live in fear of one of them getting sick or unjured and having to take them to a hospital, then being bankrupted.  Of course, now this is going to rankle some, but, if they were hispanic they just go to the local county hospital and nobody asks them anything.  Just get treatment and leave, leaving the tax payers with the bill. 

[ConnerVT]

Back to the original question.

First, there are two types of health insurance.  One is the one most working people are familiar with: Their company's group health insurance plan.  This covers catastrophic medical issues (accidents, illnesses) as well as preventative issues (checkups, screenings).  It also typically covers minor illnesses (colds), maintenance (high blood pressure, diabetes), perscription medicine, and sometimes even mental health and chiropractic services.

The second is catastrophic health insurance.  This is typical of "travel" insurance plans.  It covers the high cost unexpected things (accidents, major medical) that may put someone in the hospital (and incur a great cost).  They typically have a high deductable.

Other than the deductables, the other main issue that differentiates the two is that the later does not cover pre-existing conditions.  A person who has cancer, or heart disease, etc., can pick up a catastrophic health insurance policy, then go check themself into the hospital.

Even the group "major medical" policies can exclude paying new members for a period of time for pre-existing conditions, if they haven't been covered (or have a gap in coverage over 63 days?) prior to joining the group coverage.

If your concern is something major happening to your fiance (or in my case, I was more worried about my stepson) before you marry (and can include them in your group policy), you should get one of the catastrophic medical insurance policies.  It has been some time since I needed to think about this, but I remember they ran $60-100/month per person a few years ago.  Search on IMMIGRANT and HEALTH INSURANCE.

[roykirk]

Thanks ConnerVT, I'll do that.  I noticed some of the plans I've looked at so far will not cover anyone without a SS#. 

[ConnerVT]

No probem.  Don't believe the no SS# stuff.  That is illegal, although most insurance companies like to use a person's SS# as an ID number.

In any case, you should have your wife apply for her SS# before you get married, while her K-1 is still within the 90 day period.  You can get it afterwards, but doing before you get married is the path of least resistance.