ACA: Coverage Implications for Immigrants

[maverick41]

Naturalized citizens and legal permanent residents who have lived in the US for more than five years. For naturalized citizens and green card holders who have been in the country for five years or more, they will be able to enroll in the health care program just like U.S.-born citizens. These immigrants will also qualify for Medicaid, which is income-dependent. Medicaid coverage is available to people under the age of 65 who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line.

 

Legal permanent residents who have lived in the US for less than five years. Legal permanent residents with incomes up to 400 percent below the federal poverty level can qualify for subsidized health care coverage. Those who have been in the country less than five years do not qualify for Medicaid.

 

Refugees, asylees, immigrants exempt on humanitarian grounds. All of these individuals qualify for health insurance coverage and Medicaid, even if they have lived in the United States for less than five years.

 

H-1B, F-1, J-1 visas. Individuals who are on work visas, student visas, or have been in the country for less than five years are eligible to buy insurance through the health care exchange, but they do not qualify for Medicaid.

 

(Source: Think Progress, HHS, Kaizer) 

[JoeF]

People on F1 generally have health insurance through the university.

People on H1 who work at decent companies have group insurance through their employer.

I personally would not work for a company that doesn't provide health insurance. Would you???

[t75]

Everyone living in the US on a visa should have health insurance for him/herself and all dependents.  A university will require a student to have insurance but not the family members.

 

I would expect that one of the effects of the ACA will be on "charity" cases at the various health care providers since the reimbursement levels are being decreased significantly on certain classes of insured groups (Medicare and Medicaid).  Institutions and physicians will be watching expenses far more closely than in the past just to remain in business.

 

Any visitor should have the best travel insurance possible. If you cannot afford to pay the insurance, you cannot afford to have the company!!!  It is a unfortunate that a prepaid policy is not required for entry. Most international guests do not understand how expensive health care costs in the US. 

[rahul412]

Their are millions of people without health insurance.

[maverick41]

As T75 rightly pointed out, students are eligible for health insurance through their university (can be expensive) but it does get tough on your wallet when you add a family member. I remember when I was a student and had to add my wife and there was a time in the year 2000 where we went without health insurance because of expenses and I know it was the wrong thing to do. The only silver lining (if I can call it that)  during those days were you always kept a stock of medicines and being in a university setting with international students is that you form a social network with students who are doctors and dentists and although they are not licensed to treat you can always seek free advice :)

 

I ended up taking a high deductible insurance which was cheaper and it did come in handy when I had to get an appendectomy done. The worst part was after my surgery when I tried to renew my insurance the insurance company rejected my application because I was placed under the high risk category?? I consider myself to be a healthy individual- my annual medical check ups are good, don't smoke and exercise regularly and so the refusal came as a surprise.

 

My wife and I are now both working and are covered under "cadillac" health insurance plans but we will not forget our student days. I know people have different opinions about ACA/ "Obama Cares" but I for one am truly glad to see that insurance now has to be offered even if you have pre-existing conditions or are considered to be a high risk individual. I also think ACA is going to make health insurance (at least the basic coverage) more affordable for students and their families.

[nineballs]

Their are millions of people without health insurance.

And, What exactly is your point?

[rahul412]

And, What exactly is your point?

Does every person should have insurance??

[JoeF]

Everyone living in the US on a visa should have health insurance for him/herself and all dependents.  A university will require a student to have insurance but not the family members.

Actually, that is changing. At the University of California system, family members of students are nowadays also insured. Lots of graduate students were fighting for that, because it is a very important thing.

[JoeF]

Their are millions of people without health insurance.

Yes, and THAT is what essentially is socialized healthcare: The general public pays for the effects of people not having health insurance, of their employers not paying for health insurance and paying such a small salary that the people can't afford health insurance.

That's one thing that the ACA tries to address.

[rahul412]

Yes, and THAT is what essentially is socialized healthcare: The general public pays for the effects of people not having health insurance, of their employers not paying for health insurance and paying such a small salary that the people can't afford health insurance.

That's one thing that the ACA tries to address.

Is it mandatory that a person should have a health insurance??

If a person cannot afford to have an insurance, what will he do??

[JoeF]

Is it mandatory that a person should have a health insurance??

If a person cannot afford to have an insurance, what will he do??

That's why the ACA has provisions for subsidies.

You may want to start reading about the ACA...

[cap-gap]

 The worst part was after my surgery when I tried to renew my insurance the insurance company rejected my application because I was placed under the high risk category??

 

. I know people have different opinions about ACA/ "Obama Cares" but I for one am truly glad to see that insurance now has to be offered even if you have pre-existing conditions or are considered to be a high risk individual. I also think ACA is going to make health insurance (at least the basic coverage) more affordable for students and their families.

 

well put...

 

people that oppose ACA outright or call for total repeal have no clue about how screwd up the health care "coverage business" for indivudual buyers is..

 

only employees of medium-to-largest business were entitled for good insurance..the same coverage was not availbale for individuals even if they pay same WHOLE price tag..and there were ridiculous exclusion of conditions..including future pregnancy..

 

the bunch of individual insurance buyers would make a whole big group than any other sinlge large firm..

[t75]

Students should have to pay for their dependents.  They use a lot of maternity coverage which can be very expensive for a premature delivery.

[rahul412]

That's why the ACA has provisions for subsidies.

You may want to start reading about the ACA...

I started reading it. Their are some pro's and con's which is common in any law.

But I am still not able to figure it out, Does every person should have insurance?? If yes,why??

[t75]

Why should the public have to pay for someone's medical care? Since only a very rich person can afford a major injury or illness, health insurance is essential.  Years ago, health insurance was more like current car or home insurance - for catastrophic events. Health insurance started adding routine care and prescriptions and that is when it became far more expensive. If health care that was typical - like checkups, well child care, and drugs - were not covered, the cost of the catastrophic coverage would be more reasonable as was the situation 25 plus years ago.  I can remember when allowing $200 towards an annual checkup was a major employee benefit addition.

 

Everyone in the US needs a "dog in the fight" - i.e. required to buy coverage or be willing to pay out of pocket with preexisting condition limits if it was not purchased when first offered. It is the fair thing to do.

[maverick41]

I started reading it. Their are some pro's and con's which is common in any law.

But I am still not able to figure it out, Does every person should have insurance?? If yes,why??

 

Well its recommended that everyone have health insurance something along the lines of having car insurance. As far as citizens are concerned, if you earn up to 138% of the federal poverty line ($15,856 per year  for a household of one or $32,499 for a household of four) then you don't have to pay anything and you qualify for Medicaid.

 

Here's an interesting Q&A on ACA from the Brookings Institute:

6. Whatever. I hate Obamacare and refuse to move a finger. What can they do to me?

To be honest, not much, though you should at least browse the exchange and see what you’re turning down. In deeply Republican Oklahoma, for example, the cheapest policy is only $96 per month. Still, if you blow off Obamacare and don’t get insured by April next year, your grand total fine is only about $100 (though it will increase over the years). And there’s another loophole: If the policy costs more than 10 percent of your annual income or you don’t pay any federal taxes, you won’t have to pay a penalty anyway. (In Massachusetts, less than 0.3 percent of people paid any penalty.) In short, if you don’t participate in Obamacare, the government won’t send black helicopters after you.

[JoeF]

I started reading it. Their are some pro's and con's which is common in any law.

But I am still not able to figure it out, Does every person should have insurance?? If yes,why??

The same as why every driver needs to have car insurance.

People get sick, have accidents, etc. etc.

If somebody doesn't have health insurance, and doesn't have several $100K in his or her bank account, eventually the public would have to pay for such a person. That means the burden is placed on the public at large, which makes that kind of thing what the teabaggers oh-so-dislike: socialized healthcare.

The ACA aims to make sure that everybody has healthcare, so unlike what the teabaggers think, the ACA acually makes people more responsible for their healthcare, and lowers the burden put on the public.

While the penalty for not signing up is currently rather low, I expect that to go up eventually.

A population with decent health care also is more productive, since issues can be found early before they require major surgery, so the ACA is also a long-term boost for the economy.

[rahul412]

Well its recommended that everyone have health insurance something along the lines of having car insurance. As far as citizens are concerned, if you earn up to 138% of the federal poverty line ($15,856 per year  for a household of one or $32,499 for a household of four) then you don't have to pay anything and you qualify for Medicaid.

But still that's upon him/her. If a person want's to have insurance then he will buy it, why should govt collect fines from the people for not having insurance?? (I guess that's Iowa, not sure).

[rahul412]

Why should the public have to pay for someone's medical care?

I got the same question.

[JoeF]

I got the same question.

Well, ethics for one.

Hospitals can't just turn away people just because they don't have health insurance.

Hippocratic oath.

So, the next best thing is to ensure that everybody has health insurance. And that's what the ACA tries to do.

[rahul412]

The same as why every driver needs to have car insurance.

People get sick, have accidents, etc. etc.

If somebody doesn't have health insurance, and doesn't have several $100K in his or her bank account, eventually the public would have to pay for such a person. That means the burden is placed on the public at large, which makes that kind of thing what the teabaggers oh-so-dislike: socialized healthcare.

The ACA aims to make sure that everybody has healthcare, so unlike what the teabaggers think, the ACA acually makes people more responsible for their healthcare, and lowers the burden put on the public.

While the penalty for not signing up is currently rather low, I expect that to go up eventually.

A population with decent health care also is more productive, since issues can be found early before they require major surgery, so the ACA is also a long-term boost for the economy.

Why should a person pay for another person?? If I doesn't have enough money then I go for the one which I can buy it.

 

With the car you can kill a person, but not with your life. And that's the reason why car insurance is mandatory, very high risk is involved here.

[cap-gap]

 

 

With the car you can kill a person, but not with your life. And that's the reason why car insurance is mandatory, very high risk is involved here.

by law, hospitals can not turn away an uninsured in need of emergency care...so an uninsured is gonna end up a burden to other tax payers..

 

On the other hand, the govt. can not make a rule that every citizen shall buy car insurance or even to have a DL, bcz some citizens may chose not to drive.

 

A "non driver" will never need an auto policy but an uninsured citizen at some point will need emergency care..

[maverick41]

In addition to contributing to the common good. Buying health insurance is also about being responsible and fair to others who pay taxes.

Here's another question? My wife and I don't have children and time has gone by quickly with time spent at universities and our careers we may not have kids. However we do pay taxes so that other children can go to public schools. So should I not be complaining?

[GNH]

The ACA is great for people who do not have employer based insurance. People who have employer based insurance have consistently seen the rates on their best plans increase rapidly the last 3 years as insurance companies got ready to add on all the extra people they are mandated to do. I personally cannot anymore afford the "cadillac" plan which I had for the last several years at my employer and now I am shifting to a lower premium plan but with a much higher deductible. So yes the ACA is great for a lot of people but for people like me not so much.

[t75]

Years ago, remember that I am older than dirt , people had health care - better than now or what is likely to be in the future. A doctor's visit might be $20 total; I have seen them as low as $2 for a simple checkup. You would pay out the bill; it might take several years for a big one but there was not the requirement to pay the co-pay before you can be seen. Doctors and hospitals did a lot of charity care, now the taxpayers are the charity and the non-payers take advantage of the situation.