Looking for green card health insurance to provide medical coverage while you're in the U.S.? You've come to the right place. Your immediate thought might be: just get US domestic health insurance. Right? Well, that's not always the case. Every new immigrant and green card holder in America is different. These unique circumstances may have an impact on eligibility for various domestic health insurance policies, potentially making it tricky to find the best travel coverage option until you're eligible to enroll in domestic healthcare. Medical care in the U.S. is expensive, sometimes alarmingly so, and going without coverage is a risk most people don't want to take.
If you're a new U.S. immigrant and entering the U.S. for the first time, or you're a green card holder living outside the U.S. planning a short trip to the United States, visitor's insurance gives you the temporary coverage you need to stay protected since your domestic health insurance may or may not apply or qualify.
What You'll Learn in This Guide:
- Health insurance options based on your specific green card status
- Coverage solutions for different age groups and situations
- How to bridge coverage gaps during transition periods
- Medicare and Medicaid eligibility for green card holders
- Practical steps to obtain insurance that meets your needs
Choosing a plan that best fits your needs begins with identifying what type of immigrant or green card holder you are.
Who Is Green Card Health Insurance Meant For?
Let's take a closer look at some of the most common types of individuals who need health insurance for green card holders or new immigrants.
How Does Health Insurance Work for Green Card Holders Who Travel Between Countries?
For green card holders who fall under this category, a different set of tax and residency rules apply when it comes to health insurance.
- If your primary residence is outside the U.S., traditional U.S. domestic health insurance may not be practical or cost-effective.
- Occasional visits to the U.S. (for family, business, or leisure) usually don't justify the cost of year-round Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant health plans.
- The ACA rules don't just consider how many days you spend in the U.S., they also consider your tax residency status.
- Most Green Card holders are considered U.S. tax residents, even if they spend 330+ days per year abroad.
- As a result, they may still be expected to comply with U.S. health insurance requirements, including the ACA.
- To be treated as a non-resident for tax purposes (and potentially avoid ACA penalties), you must file specific IRS forms:
- Form 8840 (Closer Connection Exception)
- Form 8833 (Treaty-Based Return Position Disclosure)
For people falling into this category, visitors insurance, also known as travel medical insurance for U.S. visitors, proves to be a practical, affordable solution. These are short-term plans designed to cover medical emergencies, hospital visits, and sometimes urgent care and prescriptions during your time in the United States.
What Health Insurance Options Exist for Permanent US Resident Green Card Holders?
Whether you're in between jobs, are a dependent no longer covered under a parent's insurance, are a recent graduate, or are just waiting on health benefits to start, your age, income level, employment status, and length of residency all play roles in what insurance plans you qualify for.
What Coverage Options Are Available for Green Card Holders Under 65?
If you are a permanent resident under the age of 65, you have several primary avenues for securing health insurance.
Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
If you live, work and pay taxes in the U.S., your employer may offer group health insurance. These plans often include comprehensive coverage and lower premiums due to employer contributions.
The Health Insurance Marketplace
If you're not employed or your employer does not offer insurance, the federal or state health insurance marketplaces are an option.
The Health Insurance Marketplace, established under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and accessible through healthcare.gov, serves as a vital platform for lawfully present immigrants, including green card holders, to explore and enroll in individual and family health insurance plans. Enrollment in these plans typically occurs during an annual open enrollment period in the late fall.
However, certain qualifying life events, such as a change in marital status, loss of other coverage, or the birth or adoption of a child, can trigger a special enrollment period, allowing you to secure coverage outside the standard timeframe.
The Marketplace offers a variety of plans with varying levels of coverage and cost-sharing, allowing you to choose a plan that best fits your residency status, budget and healthcare needs. Here you can explore the best domestic insurance providers and purchase plans such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealthcare, etc. These plans may cover pre-ex, preventative care and routine care.
Short-Term Health Insurance
During transitional periods, such as when you are between jobs, waiting for employer-sponsored insurance, or if you have missed the open enrollment period for the Marketplace, visitors insurance can serve as a temporary bridge to prevent lapses in your healthcare coverage.
It's important to understand that these plans typically do not provide coverage for pre-existing conditions, preventive care, or routine care unlike domestic health insurance plans. They are designed to provide protection against unexpected medical emergencies during a limited period, which is perfect for someone looking for an affordable plan to cover them until they can get full coverage with a domestic policy.
What Health Insurance Options Are Available for Green Card Holders Over 65?
As you reach the age of 65, the federal Medicare program becomes a significant healthcare option to consider.
Does a green card holder even qualify for Medicare? Generally, yes, green card holders aged 65 or older are eligible for Medicare if they have been a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. for at least five years and have a work history in the U.S. of at least 10 years where Medicare taxes were paid.
If that is not the option you want to go for, the options listed above still apply to you.
How Can New Immigrants Get Health Insurance After Receiving a Green Card?
If you have recently entered the U.S. on an immigrant visa and have passed the inspection, to finally receive the green card, you may consider a new immigrant health insurance plan, also referred to as visitors insurance, while you travel and settle down in the U.S.
If you're in the U.S. on a visitor's visa and your children or family have applied for a family-sponsored green card, you're considered a visitor until your green card is processed.
This is why, during this period, a travel medical insurance plan is your best bet. Then, once you get green card approval, you should shift to a more permanent healthcare plan that offers coverage for green card holders.
Why Is Immediate Health Coverage Critical for Green Card Holders?
Medical emergencies don't wait for paperwork to be processed or employment to begin. Even brief gaps in coverage can expose you to potentially devastating financial consequences given the high cost of healthcare in the United States.
Make sure to consider these things:
- A single emergency room visit can cost thousands of dollars
- Hospital stays frequently exceed $10,000 per day
- Surgeries or specialized treatments can, many times, result in six-figure bills without insurance
Visitors insurance plans provide immediate protection during transition periods and are substantially more affordable than facing medical costs without coverage. Once your situation stabilizes, you can shift to more permanent insurance solutions.
What Are the Best Short-Term Health Insurance Plans For Green Card Holders?
How Does Medicare Work for Green Card Holders?
Green card holders over 65 years of age may be eligible for federal Medicare, or state-sponsored Medicaid or MediCal or any other U.S. state or federal health program once they meet certain requirements.
Wondering what the differences are between these programs? Learn more about Medicare vs. Medicaid vs. MediCAL.
What Should Your Immediate Steps Be As a Green Card Holder Wanting Health Insurance?
Medical emergencies don't wait for green card approval or job confirmations. Even short gaps in coverage can leave you vulnerable to serious financial consequences. Whether you're just arriving or in between plans, having some form of medical coverage from day one is essential.
Visitors insurance plans offer immediate protection and are ideal during transition periods due to their affordability compared to long-term plans. Once your situation stabilizes, you can shift to more permanent solutions like domestic plans or government-supported programs.
How to Get Health Insurance for Green Card Holders
Getting health insurance as a green card holder can vary, depending on a number of factors.
Long-term health insurance plans can be purchased through the U.S. insurance marketplace if you are considered a lawfully present immigrant. Non-immigrant visitors (B1/B2. K, H/LO) are not eligible for coverage through the ACA Marketplace. Only lawfully present immigrants like LPRs, refugees, asylees are eligible for this.
Generally, individuals can only purchase insurance through the marketplace during an annual open enrollment period. However, there are certain qualifying life events that may allow you to enroll in a plan outside of the open enrollment period.
As mentioned earlier, if you are a green card holder, permanent, domestic health insurance can also be obtained through an employer.
If you are waiting for an open enrollment period to obtain U.S. health insurance or waiting for an employee-sponsored insurance plan to take effect, you can find top short-term health insurance plans to cover you in the meantime and avoid gaps in coverage by using a marketplace like VisitorsCoverage to compare and contrast plans before purchasing the best plan for you.
- Your health insurance options vary based on your green card status, age, and employment situation
- Visitors insurance can provide critical coverage during transition periods or for those who split time between countries
- Medical costs in the U.S. are extremely high, so having medical coverage at all times in the U.S. is crucial.
- Green card holders under 65 can purchase a domestic healthcare plan once eligible or receive one through their employer.
- Green card holders over 65 may qualify for Medicare after reaching certain eligibility requirements.
- Insurance marketplaces, like VisitorsCoverage, can help you compare plans to find the best fit for your needs
This can be a complicated topic, we completely understand. If you have more questions, our dedicated team of licensed insurance specialists are here to help you every step of the way.
Frequently Asked Questions About Health Insurance for US Green Card Holders (FAQs)
Can you get health insurance while waiting for green card?
Yes. While you'll need an approved green card to qualify for domestic US health insurance through the Marketplace, you can secure coverage with a visitors insurance plan during the waiting period. Visitors insurance plans specifically protect new immigrants and travelers while their permanent status is being processed, ensuring you don't face medical costs without protection.
Are green card holders required to have health insurance?
While most U.S. states don't legally require green card holders to have health insurance, California, Massachusetts and New Jersey do currently have individual mandates for health insurance. Regardless, going without insurance in the U.S. is a risky and expensive choice due to the high costs of medical care in the U.S.
What kind of health insurance can a green card holder get?
As a lawful permanent resident, your health insurance options include:
- Comprehensive plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace
- Employer-sponsored group health insurance
- Short-term medical plans during transition periods
- Medicare (if you meet age and residency requirements)
- Medicaid (eligibility varies by state and income level)
- Private insurance plans purchased directly from insurers
The best option depends on your specific situation, including your age, income, employment status, and how long you've lived in the US.
Is Medi-CAL free in the USA for green card holders?
Medi-CAL (California's Medicaid program) can provide free or low-cost medical services to eligible green card holders. To qualify, you must live in California and meet specific income and household requirements. Green card holders are welcome to apply, and eligibility is determined based on financial need rather than immigration status alone. Similar state Medicaid programs exist in other states with varying eligibility criteria.
Are green card holders eligible for Medicare?
Yes, green card holders who are 65 or older can be eligible for Medicare if they meet certain requirements.
Can I add my non-U.S. citizen spouse or family member to my visitors insurance plan?
Yes. Many insurance providers allow you to add spouses or dependents to your policy, even if they aren't US citizens. For employer-sponsored plans, family members typically qualify regardless of citizenship status. For Marketplace plans, lawfully present immigrants can be covered. For visitors insurance plans, family members can often be added to a single policy. You may need to provide documentation proving your relationship and their immigration status.
If I travel outside the US frequently, will my domestic health insurance cover me abroad?
Most US domestic health insurance plans provide limited or no coverage outside the United States. Medicare, for example, generally doesn't cover healthcare costs incurred abroad. If you travel internationally often, consider international travel insurance so you can be covered while you're traveling outside the US.
How do I choose between temporary visitors insurance and permanent health insurance?
To make the right choice, consider your specific situation:
- Choose visitors insurance if you're newly arrived, waiting for other coverage to begin, or only stay in the US periodically
- Select permanent health insurance if you're living in the US long-term and qualify for employer plans or Marketplace coverage
Temporary plans typically cost less but offer more limited coverage focused on emergencies, while permanent plans provide comprehensive coverage including preventive and routine care.
