Green card holders become eligible to purchase plans from Obamacare because they become lawfully permanent citizens. As a green card holder, you may fall under these four different scenarios- permanently living in the US, living outside the US, living in the US with a pending green card status, or traveling between your home country and the US.
Green card holders with permanent residency
If you hold a green card, you are considered a lawfully permanent resident in the US. In this case, you can enroll for health coverage through Obamacare. You can apply for or renew Obamacare coverage during the Open Enrollment every year. If there is a life-changing event you may be eligible to apply for Obamacare outside the open enrollment period.
If you are 65 and above, you can apply for the Medicare program typically only after 5 years of having a green card. If you are 65 and above, have a green card, and have not lived in the US for 5 years, you can apply for Obamacare. Medicaid helps with coverage for low-income families and is yet another state program but available to US citizens.
Green card holders living outside the US
You can consider purchasing visitor insurance policies if you live outside the US despite having a green card. When you visit the US for short trips or stay for a few months, your visitor insurance coverage can keep you covered during that brief stay. Not all visitor insurance plans cover Green Card holders. It is important to understand the eligibility for the plan before signing up for the policy.
If you have come to the US and missed the Open Enrollment window to apply for Obamacare, you can check if you qualify for the special enrollment. And if not, simply go for an immigrant health insurance plan. These plans will offer adequate coverage till you get time to apply for Obamacare.
Green card holders with pending statuses
When you come to the US, you come as a tourist or immigrant. While tourists come for a brief visit, immigrants look for permanent residency through green cards. There is a long process for getting a Green Card and you may not get a green card right after applying for it. If your green card status is pending, you are not considered a lawfully permanent resident but rather a visitor.
In such cases, you can purchase visitor insurance health insurance plans that can cover you during this waiting period. Depending on the plan and the amount of coverage you opt for, the plan provides coverage for medical expenses, hospitalization fees, medical evacuation, repatriation, and more. Once you get your green card, you can sign up for domestic plans from the insurance marketplace.
How does NRIOL.net help green card holders?
Green card holders living in the US do not need visitor insurance plans because they become eligible to purchase domestic plans from healthcare.gov. If you shuttle between your country of citizenship and the US, or you have a pending green card status, NRIOL.net can help you!
We have comprehensive and fixed-benefit health insurance plans. Comprehensive policies offer better protection and coverage, while limited plans come with pre-defined sub-limits. Both plans can cover you for a temporary period per the benefits of the policy you opt for so that you do not have to pay from your pockets in the event of a medical emergency.
