Health insurance provides access to healthcare in the United States. It can be individual or family, public or private, all with different coverages.
If you are a beneficiary of humanitarian parole, thanks to your immigration status can take out health insurance. The cost of health insurance varies depending on the type of plan, the coverage, and the state in which you live. Usually, it is more expensive in Florida and Texas than in other states.
In this case, it is convenient to research all the options for obtaining health insurance for immigrants and how to apply for cheap health insurance.
How does health insurance work in the United States?
There are different plans available, both in private and public programs. Their medical coverage proposal is based on three parts:
- Benefits: The benefits are the services that it covers. It includes doctor's visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, and mental health care. The exact benefits that are covered will vary depending on the plan.
- Networks: The networks of a health insurance plan are the providers of medical assistance, including doctors, hospitals, and other providers. The plan will cover only services provided by a provider belonging to the network. Otherwise, if a provider is not in the network, the plan can not cover their services.
- Costs: The costs of a health insurance plan are the premiums, copayments, and coinsurance that the family pay. The premiums are the insurance company's monthly payments. Patients pay copayments when they receive services from network providers. After the deductible has been met, families pay a percentage of the cost of a service, known as coinsurance.
The best health insurance plan for a family will depend on their individual needs and circumstances. It is crucial to compare different plans to find one that offers the right coverage at the right price.
Is there medical insurance for immigrants in the United States?
There are many different types of health insurance in the United States, and eligibility requirements vary by type. However, eligibility requires one to be a citizen or national of the United States or be a lawfully present immigrant in the U.S.
Lawfully present immigrants have valid non-immigrant visas, refugees, parolees, asylees, or citizens in humanitarian situations such as Temporary Protected Status, the LIFE Act, and Family Unit individuals.
How to get health insurance?
There are different ways to get health insurance, and it is important to know the options available to find the best coverage for your family. Here are some of the ways to get health insurance:
- Direct purchase: You can purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company. This is a good option if you are self-employed or if you do not have health insurance through your employer.
- Health insurance marketplace: There are state and federal-managed marketplaces where you can apply for different health insurance plans. The marketplace can be a good option for people who do not have health insurance through their employer and who do not qualify for Medicaid or CHIP.
- Employer-Funded Coverage: Some employers offer health insurance plans as part of their employment benefits. This is a good option if you have health insurance through your employer.
How to get cheap health insurance?
Public insurance offers programs that provide benefits for people with certain characteristics. If you are a newcomer to the United States, it is convenient for you to know details of the cheap health insurance or free available.
You can apply for discounted health insurance through Obamacare. The Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act, ACA), also known as Obamacare, made extensive benefits to lower the cost of health insurance for all legal residents of the United States.
Federal government and states run this program. That is why although its plans vary in cost, they are generally more affordable than private health insurance plans.
On the other hand, in the private system, you can also apply for cheap health insurance by requesting a tax credit for the payment. Credits are based on your income, meaning the lower your income, the higher the credit offered to help cover insurance costs. You can learn more about how to apply here.
How to apply for free health insurance?
Did you know that there is free health insurance in the United States? Well yes! Each state offers low-income families the option of free or low-cost public health insurance. This is done through the Medicaid program, which covers children, the elderly, the disabled, and other eligible people who receive federal income payments.
You must go to a state Medicaid agency to find out if you qualify for the program. You will need to prove income below the federal poverty line (UFP) or meet other more specific requirements that you can consult here.
If you don't meet the requirements for Medicaid, you can apply for CHIP, which offers free or low-cost medical and dental care. This help covers uninsured children and adolescents up to age 19. You can learn more about how to apply here.
