About Pregnant women inssurance-- Wife on H4..

[PatelScope]

Dear Sr. & all Members,
I am indian citizen, just came here on H1B from UK, with my 7months pregnant wife, my employer sign all documents like I-9, W4, Inssurance just 3days before. in inssurance is written that currently spouse is pregnant, and my employer told me your insurance will start from 1st january 2009 (my wife due date is in first week of Feb 2009, ok. anyone help that this inssurance is valid for her medical checkups and for her delivery expenses recovered in it, or I have to pay for all medical services? I am confused about this medical inssurance. my relatives in USA told me that I have to pay whatever medical inssurance I have. it's true?? lot's of questions in my mind.
thanks please help me friendly regarding this matter...

[knowledgeable]

Mr. Patel, why don't you ...

... talk with your insurance company and your employer rather than your relatives.

Depending on the type of insurance you have from your employer, the situation may change. However, in most cases your insurance should cover your wife's pregnancy, check ups and delivery.

You need to insist on your employer to get you the insurance right now and not from January. If that means you may have to spend some money on the premiums, it will be in your best interests.

Good luck.

[PatelScope]

... talk with your insurance company and your employer rather than your relatives.

Depending on the type of insurance you have from your employer, the situation may change. However, in most cases your insurance should cover your wife's pregnancy, check ups and delivery.

You need to insist on your employer to get you the insurance right now and not from January. If that means you may have to spend some money on the premiums, it will be in your best interests.

Good luck.

thanks lots, My employer told me that inssurance company needs 1months job history with current employer thats why my employer told me it will start from 1st january 2009, because my job start date as per employer is 1st december 2008. but some relatives told me that employer and inssurance company never suggest right information.. family relatives told me that my inssurance will not cover becasue my wife already pregnant. and they told me inssurance mostly covered all expenses after some 8 to 9 months. lots of mouths lots of stories and my employer is new for H1B and H4 rules he nevered hire any H1B person. thats why he don't know about H1B inssurance policy.

[txh1b]

In most group insurance plans provided by employers, pregnancy is covered without a wait time. Get the insurance plan information and give them a call. Give them your plan number and policy details and they will be able to tell what is covered and what isn't.

[PatelScope]

In most group insurance plans provided by employers, pregnancy is covered without a wait time. Get the insurance plan information and give them a call. Give them your plan number and policy details and they will be able to tell what is covered and what isn't.

oh, thanks lots I will go ahead regarding your advice, my inssurance is not group inssurance , in that just written my name and my spouse name. and me first and alone on H1B with my employer.

[knowledgeable]

Mr. Patel ...

... your relatives are partly correct. There is no such thing that the insurance company needs one month of job history to start the coverage.

At the worst, your employer can get you temporary coverage from elsewhere right now.

As Immigration Advisor TXH1B very well mentioned, collect the information from your employer and call up the insurance company. DO write down the names, date/time and notes on who you speak with, always.

Finally, in worst possible scenario, the total normal pregnancy and delivery costs should not be more than US$10,000 which your employer can also share with you. This is just in that rare situation that you do have insurance issues.

Now, since you're on H1B your annual income is high enough to cover these costs, most of which you may be able to get a good income tax deduction on, next year.

The bottom line is that you need to stop worrying too much and start doing your home work properly.

All the very best to you and your family.

[PatelScope]

... your relatives are partly correct. There is no such thing that the insurance company needs one month of job history to start the coverage.

At the worst, your employer can get you temporary coverage from elsewhere right now.

As Immigration Advisor TXH1B very well mentioned, collect the information from your employer and call up the insurance company. DO write down the names, date/time and notes on who you speak with, always.

Finally, in worst possible scenario, the total normal pregnancy and delivery costs should not be more than US$10,000 which your employer can also share with you. This is just in that rare situation that you do have insurance issues.

Now, since you're on H1B your annual income is high enough to cover these costs, most of which you may be able to get a good income tax deduction on, next year.

The bottom line is that you need to stop worrying too much and start doing your home work properly.

All the very best to you and your family.

yes, knowledgebase, this is the matter thats why I am confused about it. today I will ask employer first and then I will talk to inssurance company. lets see whats happen, and I will update this post and I will share it with immihelp for future reading to other members like me. thanks lots.

[insubuy]

If you are enrolling into the group insurance through your employer, the fact that you are on H1B and your wife on H4 does not matter. You would be treated the same way as all other employees who are U.S. citizens, greencard holders, EAD holders, OPT holders or whatever.

If you were to try to buy individual/family insurance on your own in open market, that is a totally a different story. And no individual plans are available to cover pregnancy if the person is already pregnant, no matter what the legal status is. In fact, neither you nor your wife will be able to buy any individual insurance even for accidents. Of course, you can buy short term travel insurance but that does not cover anything to do with pregnancy.

Coming back to your employer insurance, each employer has a set policy for insurance waiting period after the start of employment. It may be 0 days, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days or whatever they set when they set up their group insurance. In your case, it is certainly possible that they have 30 days waiting period in their group insurance. (We have that in our own company for our employees). Therefore, talk to them to see what their policy is. They have to follow the same policy for all employees, irrespective of their legal status.

It is NOT true that group insurance through employer always covers pregnancy with no waiting period. It all depends upon the insurance they have. Sometimes, even the group insurance may not cover pregnancy at all, even if the person becomes pregnant after the insurance effective date. Sometimes, it may not cover pregnancy if the person is already pregnant. And no one on this forum can really answer. Only your employer and their insurance company answer that. Therefore, you need to check with them for the details. You can not rely on your relatives to say something and go by it. Even though your relatives may be right regarding their group insurance through their employer, that may not apply to you.

I hope that helps.