Senior Green Card Holders' Health Insurance

Senior Green Card holders in the United States can access health insurance through several options, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Health Insurance Marketplace, private insurers, international health plans, short-term medical coverage, and state-based programs. Eligibility depends on factors such as age, income level, length of U.S. residency, and lawful immigration status.

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Those who have lived in the U.S. for at least five consecutive years may qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, while newer residents can seek coverage through private insurance, subsidized plans under the Affordable Care Act, or temporary travel medical insurance. Understanding these options helps ensure senior immigrants get the medical protection they need without facing unexpected costs.

This Pacific Prime blog post will introduce you to 8 ways you can get health insurance as a lawfully present immigrant in the U.S. We’ll also answer Frequently Asked Questions about this topic in our bonus FAQ section at the end.

Be sure to check out our article Green Card Holder Health Insurance to find all the articles in our series about health insurance for Green Card holders! You’ll also want to read our Foreign Visitors’ Health Insurance Guide for visitors and new arrivals to the U.S.

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Health Coverage for Lawfully Present Senior Immigrants

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A “lawfully present” senior immigrant in the United States is an elderly individual with either:

“Qualified non-citizen” immigration status
Humanitarian statuses or circumstances
A valid non-immigration visa
Legal status conferred by other laws, such as a Green Card

After receiving your Green Card, you become a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) of the United States, and you qualify for various forms of U.S. health insurance, as guaranteed under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obama Care, PPACA, and ACA).

The following section will detail many of the options that become available to senior immigrants with “lawfully present” status.

Top 8 Health Insurance Choices for Senior Green Card Holders

Elderly Green Card holders in the United States may consider seeking health insurance through Medicare, health insurance subsidies, Medicaid, private health insurance providers, short-term visitor plans, local state government programs, and the U.S. Health Insurance Marketplace, and more.

1. Medicare Eligibility for Green Card Holders Over 65

Green Card holders who are aged 65 or older and who have been a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. for at least 5 consecutive years can qualify to get health insurance through Medicare. Seniors who are not yet 65 but who have disabilities or certain medical conditions may also qualify.

Senior lawful immigrants can enroll in Medicare during their Initial Enrollment Period, which is the 3 months before their 65th birthday, their birth month, and the 3 following months. If they miss this period, they can also enroll in the General Enrollment Period which is from October 15 – December 7.

You can visit Medicare.gov to learn if you qualify for coverage.

Understanding the Medicare 5-Year Residency Requirement

The Medicare 5-Year Residency Rule (or 5-Year Waiting Period) states that a Green Card holder must have lived in the U.S. for 5 consecutive years before applying for Medicare.

This period begins the first day you arrive in the U.S. with the intention of living here, even if you don’t have Lawful Permanent Resident Status yet.

2. Medicaid Coverage for Senior Green Card Holders

Senior permanent residents in the U.S. who possess a Green Card may qualify for Medicaid health insurance if they have a low income. The 5-Year Waiting Period applies to Medicaid, stating that an elderly lawfully present immigrant must live in the U.S. for 5 years before they qualify for Medicaid.

This 5-year waiting period can be waived, however, for lawfully residing children and/or pregnant women.

Low-income senior immigrants who are covered by Medicaid receive coverage for:

Hospitalization costs
Physician services, labs, medical equipment, and other outpatient services
Medicare Advantage Plan
Prescription drugs

Review the Dual Eligible Standards to see if your income may qualify.

3. Government Health Insurance Subsidies for Green Card Holders

Green Card holders over the age of 65 who don’t qualify for Medicaid may still qualify for other government health insurance subsidies. Obamacare (or the Affordable Care Act) offers Advanced Premium Tax Credits and Cost Sharing Reductions as options to individuals and families with low incomes.

Advanced Premium Tax Credits
This subsidy helps lower the monthly premiums of health insurance for low-income individuals. Senior immigrants who qualify will receive a premium tax credit they can use to pay for medical premiums.
Cost Sharing Reductions (CSRs)
Senior Green Card holders who qualify for cost-sharing reductions pay less out-of-pocket fees each time they receive medical services. These extra savings only work for a health plan in the Silver category.

4. Buying Private Health Insurance for Senior Green Card Holders

Elderly lawful permanent residents in the U.S. can purchase medical coverage from private insurers in the general market. To go about this, they will want to research local and national health insurance companies in the U.S., compare plans, and select the package that fits their needs and budget.

5. Global Health Insurance for Traveling Senior Green Card Holders

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Senior Green Card holders who expect to travel outside of the U.S. may consider getting an international health insurance plan that covers them worldwide. If you know you’ll visit your country of origin, or anywhere else on the globe, global health insurance grants medical coverage wherever you go.

With one health insurance plan, you can receive treatment anywhere!

6. Short-Term Medical Insurance for Green Card Seniors

While waiting to get a long-term health insurance plan, elderly Green Card holders may consider a short-term travel medical insurance plan. These plans include coverage for hospitalization, doctor visits, and emergency medical evacuation. Travel medical plans typically last less than a year.

If this is something you’d be interested in, we recommend looking into insurers GeoBlue, IMG, VUMI, and AIG. Learn here how to compare travel insurance plans effectively.

Travel medical insurance can also be known as short-term visitor insurance.

7. State-Based Health Insurance Programs for Seniors

Immigrants over the age of 65 should also look for local insurance options in their state of residence. An example is the Health Insurance Benefits for Immigrant Seniors in the state of Illinois. If you are aged 42-64, Illinois also has the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program.

These two particular programs are for non-legal residents (immigrants who do not have a Green Card), so you will want to look for programs that match your level of status in the country.

8. Using the Health Insurance Marketplace for Senior Coverage

The Health Insurance Marketplace is a service center that helps families, individuals, and businesses compare and apply for health insurance. It is available in every state of the U.S. and can either be run by the local or federal government. Open enrollment is from November 1 – January 15.

Any U.S. citizen and lawfully present immigrant can enroll in Marketplace medical coverage. Senior Green Card holders who don’t have insurance through another means may get coverage in the Marketplace with lower costs and the 10 essential health benefits offered in every plan.

If you qualify for Medicaid, you can enroll in the Marketplace any time of the year and start coverage immediately.

You can visit HealthCare.gov to learn if you qualify for coverage.

Enrollment Steps for Health Insurance as a Senior Green Card Holder

To enroll in U.S. health insurance as a green card holder over 65, you first select which form of health insurance you want. Once you know that, you will follow the enrollment process of that specific insurance provider. This typically is an online application with your health history and age, etc.

To get help through this process, we recommend consulting with a health insurance broker like Pacific Prime. We can help you compare health insurance plans, secure the best premium price for your situation, and then submit your application. We also help our clients submit claims throughout their coverage plan.

Learn more about why getting health insurance through a broker can help you save money!

Frequently Asked Questions

What U.S. health coverage can senior green card holders get?

Green card holders over the age of 65 may be eligible to get U.S. health coverage through Medicaid, Medicare, health insurance subsidies, private insurance providers, international health insurance, short-term travel medical plans, local state programs, or the Marketplace.

Can senior green card holders qualify for Medicare in the U.S.?

Elderly green card holders may qualify for Medicare if they have already lived in the U.S. for at least 5 consecutive years. Green card holders with disabilities and certain illnesses may also qualify for Medicare. It is essential to be lawfully present in the U.S., and a green card confirms this.

Can a recent 65-year-old immigrant to the U.S. get health insurance?

Immigrants to the U.S. who have lived in the country for less than five years cannot qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, regardless of their age. An important distinction to understand as well is that the five years begin the first day you enter the country with the intent of living here.

Can senior green card holders get Medicaid in the U.S.?

Senior green card holders who have lived in the U.S. for at least 5 consecutive years and who fall below the minimum income allotment may qualify for Medicaid. Low-income individuals and families, regardless of age, are the targeted community who qualify for the insurance benefits of Medicaid.

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Conclusion

We have now reviewed 8 different health insurance options for elderly Green Card holders in the United States. Be sure to read our posts Health Insurance for Green Card Holding Parents and U.S. Health Insurance for Non-Citizens as well!

If you’d like to consider getting international health insurance through a private insurer, check out our obligation-free health insurance quote generator. With it, you can compare over 50,000 international plans in the same place!

If you have questions about your health insurance options, contact one of our brokers today.

Health Insurance Options for Senior Green Card Holders in the U.S.

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