Do you need to have Health Insurance for Green Card Holders in the U.S.?
Do you need to have Health Insurance for Green Card Holders in the U.S.?
Health insurance for green card holders is not mandatory in the U.S. but it is highly recommended. As of January 1, 2019, federal law does not require citizens and immigrants to have health insurance -it is up to each state to decide whether or not its citizens need to have medical insurance. As a green card holder, you can purchase health insurance through a group health insurance plan or an individual health insurance plan. Group health insurance plans can be extended to include spouses and children of green card holders as well.
For elderly immigrant parents, you will have to purchase adequate health insurance for green card holders over the age of 65 because you cannot add them to your group health insurance plan. Green card holders who are not working and are over the age of 65 will need an individual healthcare plan.
As a green card holder, Medicare eligibility depends on certain conditions such as being over the age of 65 and having lived in the U.S. continuously for at least five years or paid Medicare taxes (worked in the U.S.) for at least 10 years.
If you are living in the U.S. and are waiting for your green card to be processed, you would apply for visitor health insurance until your green card is issued.
Researching for the best health insurance plan for green card holders can be a daunting task. Some of the best- known plans are the following: Inbound Immigrant Insurance, Patriot America Insurance, Patriot America Plus Insurance, Bridge Plan Insurance, Diplomat America Insurance, and Liaison Travel Choice Insurance.
For more information, please contact our office for a free telephone consultation (15 minute) at 248-557-3645.
Sevahn Merian
Associate Attorney, Immigration Law Department
The Law Offices of Joumana Kayrouz, PLLC
phone: (248) 557-3645 fax: (248) 200-0645 email: smerian@joumanakayrouz.com
1000 Town Center, Suite 800 Southfield, MI 48075
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