Can I Get Health Insurance Before I Get My Green Card?

Can I Get Health Insurance Before I Get My Green Card?

Individuals who are working towards becoming legal residents within the United States find that obtaining healthcare can be a bit of a dance. Since most insurance plans require citizenship or a green card in order for you to be eligible, many people are left wondering if it is possible to get health insurance at all before their green card is finalized. Since health insurance is necessary for people of all ages, backgrounds, and health levels, this can cause a lot of stress. The good news is that it is completely possible to get health insurance before you get a green card. All it takes is a little extra work.

The first thing to consider when it comes to gaining access to health insurance plans is when you actually applied or your green card. Depending on when you applied for your card and a variety of other factors, you might be able to qualify for some of the plans available in the healthcare marketplace. While many plans require you to have had a green card, and for some time at that, this is not the case for all of them, so research here is key.

Depending on the circumstances by which you are in the country, you might have a couple of other options. The first option is Visitor’s Insurance. This type of insurance is known for covering people who are in the United States but are not considered citizens. Though the qualifications on these plans do vary, it might be a good place to start, particularly if you are relatively new to the country. There are many types of Visitor’s Insurance and if you need more details, call our customer helpline and one of our trained customer representatives can guide you.

As a final step, you can seek out individual short-term insurance plans. While not all of the ones available will give access to non-residents, there are many that will offer coverage. The downside here is that these insurance plans are really more focused on hospitalizations and emergencies. They are useful in the event that you get sick or are seriously injured. However, they are not helpful when it comes to general maintenance and care. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to go about accessing general care options at a reduced price if you do not have insurance that covers it. This makes it easier for many families, particularly those with children, to navigate the time between when they enter the United States and when they gain access to quality healthcare options.

At the end of the day, finding insurance before you have a green card is a process. It is true that there are many programs and policies that you will not have access to. However, there are options available as long as you are willing to put in the research to find them. Be thorough when you are looking for insurance options that you qualify for, and you should be able to bridge the gap while you wait for your green card to come through.