Legal immigrants do not have the same healthcare choices as U.S. citizens. Eligibility varies based on immigration status, specific visa types, state of residence, and duration of stay same as if you are a citizen of the US. Therefore, ask yourself?
- Does your employer offer health insurance? If so, consider taking it. In most cases, employers pay part of the cost of insuring you, and sometimes your family members, and you pay the rest. So, you usually save money with a job-based plan compared to buying a plan on your own.
- Does your employer not offer health insurance? If so, the big question is whether you can afford to buy it on your own. If you can’t, you may be eligible for help from the government.
- If you can afford to buy your own health insurance. You can buy health insurance directly from an insurance company or through an insurance broker. But for many people, the easiest and cheapest way is through a group of government websites called the Health Insurance Marketplace or Exchange (often called Obamacare). Those websites present you with a choice of health plans with competitive prices.
If your state runs its own exchange, use theirs; if not, use the US federal exchange at www.healthcare.gov. To find out if your state has an exchange, visit www.healthcare.gov/marketplace-in-your-state.
When you apply for and enroll in Marketplace coverage, you may need papers to prove that you are a documented resident. According to the US government, facts about your immigration status will be used only to check if you’re eligible for coverage.
You can sign up for a health plan in the Marketplace during the open enrollment period. Open enrollment typically runs from November 1 to January 31 of the year for which you’re seeking coverage. Before or after the open enrollment period, you may qualify for a special enrollment period in case of special events, such as if you have a baby or lose your other health coverage.
- If you can’t afford to buy your own health insurance. When you apply for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, the government will check to see if you’re eligible for financial help in the form of a credit on your taxes. The decision will be based on things such as your income and family size.
In some cases you may be eligible for government programs such as Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that are designed for low-income people. Eligibility rules, benefits and costs can differ for each state.
US citizens and qualified non-citizens (people such as green card holders, asylees, refugees and others) are generally eligible for Medicaid or CHIP. But, many qualified non-citizens may have to wait five years after getting their qualified immigration status before they can get Medicaid or CHIP.
There are exceptions. For example, refugees or asylees, or green card holders who used to be refugees or asylees, don’t have to wait five years. States also can choose to remove the five-year waiting period and cover lawfully residing children or pregnant women in Medicaid or CHIP.
You can apply for Medicaid or CHIP in two ways. One is by applying for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. If someone in your household may qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, your information will be sent to your state Medicaid agency. You can also apply directly to your state Medicaid agency.
- Are you age 65 or older? For people who are 65 or older, the US Medicare program offers health insurance. When you turn 65, if you’ve been lawfully present in the country for at least five years, you are eligible for Medicare. That includes getting Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) without having to pay a monthly premium for it—so long as you’ve worked in the United States and taxes have been taken from your paycheck for ten years. If you’ve been lawfully present for at least five years but haven’t paid ten years’ worth of payroll taxes, you can buy Medicare Part A. You can apply for Medicare online or through your local Social Security office.
You aren’t eligible for Medicare if you haven’t been lawfully present for at least five years. Even so, you can buy health insurance through the Marketplace as long as you’re currently lawfully present.