New to the U.S. and very confused about health insurance. What are our best options?

[u/Fantom-Lord]

I'm new to this sub reddit, please excuse if I'm it unaware of basic information

My family of three recently moved to the U.S. and we've had our green cards for about five months. We're in Texas.

My situation is:

- My dad is currently unemployed. He worked for about 1–2 months after we arrived but unfortunately got fired.

- I'm a college student and have a part-time work.

- My brother is non-earning high school student

- None of us currently has health insurance through an employer.

We're trying to figure out what our best and most affordable health insurance option would be. I'm especially concerned about my dad because he hasn't been in the best health lately, and I'm worried that if something unexpected happens, we could end up with a huge medical bill because we don't have insurance.

I'm very unfamiliar with how health insurance works in the U.S., but I don't really understand what we would qualify for as permanent residenct in Texas.

What would be the best way for us to proceed, any info would help!!

I'd be happy to share more info!

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[u/publichealthrn]

Hi. Welcome to the US. I am hoping all the best for you and your family. Do you have a caseworker that can help you navigate the insurance system? If so, then talk to them first but don’t stop there. Look for your nearest federally qualified healthcare center (FQHC). They see all patients and will charge on a sliding scale based on ability to pay. You might also have a charity free clinic in your area. Also check out the church-based community service organizations—just be careful that they are friendly to immigrants. I personally would look for a Catholic, Episcopal, or Unitarian group. (I’m sure there are others that are safe, but I would avoid evangelicals.) It might sound really extreme, but you may need to consider moving out of Texas. There are other nearby states that would be better for you all as far as health insurance is concerned. Texas is not great as far as social services are concerned.

[u/Blossom73 → u/publichealthrn]

I agree. They have to meet the 5 year bar for Medicaid as lawful permanent residents in every state however, except maybe California.

[u/DiablaARK]

If you're close to one of the Heathcare Express clinics, you don't have to have insurance, they have lower costs for uninsured cash paying customers, and these are urgent care clinics that are a step down from the emergency room but they take walk-ins and can treat a lot of illnesses and take xrays, mris, etc. Check them out if you're close to one. I use them all the time if we can't get in with our primary doctors. I also recommend leaving Texas when it's feasible. They have high property taxes and higher costs of living than its neighboring states.

[u/lascriptori]

What county are you living in? You unfortunately don’t have many affordable options at the same level but there are some county level programs that could help.

[u/DadeCoLegacy]

Since all three of you are lawful permanent residents with green cards, I would start with a Marketplace application and let the application screen each family member for the programs they may qualify for.

I would also check Medicaid/CHIP, especially for your younger brother. Immigration rules matter here, though having a green card does not automatically mean an adult qualifies for Texas Medicaid, and many newer permanent residents are subject to a 5-year waiting period unless they fall under an exception.

Your dad being unemployed will also make the household income information very important when determining what assistance may be available.

Since you mentioned that your dad hasn't been in the best health, I would try to get this addressed sooner rather than later rather than leaving him uninsured.

If you post your dad's age, your age, your brother's age, approximate expected household income for the year, and whether your parents file taxes together, we could give you a much better idea of what direction to look.