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Need health insurance while waiting for your Green Card? You can get coverage through visitor insurance, ACA Marketplace plans (if eligible), short-term medical plans, travel insurance, international health insurance, or state programs. Children and pregnant individuals may also qualify for CHIP.
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Many of these options provide immediate coverage regardless of immigration status. Whether you’re applying for permanent residency or in the middle of adjustment, there are several ways to stay insured until your Green Card arrives.
This Pacific Prime blog post will outline 7 insurance options that may be readily available for you today, depending on your needs and situation. We’ll also introduce you to insurance methods you can use after your Green Card comes so you can look to the future with knowledge.
We highly recommend reading our blog post on Green Card Holder Health Insurance because it can direct you to all the related articles in our series about health insurance for U.S. immigrants.
7 Health Coverage Options While Awaiting Green Card Approval
Individuals and families waiting for Green Card processing can get health insurance through visitor insurance plans, the ACA Marketplace, short-term insurance plans, travel medical insurance, state programs for immigrants, international health insurance, and CHIP.
1. Temporary Visitor Insurance for Green Card Applicants
Visitor Insurance is a health insurance option for new immigrants in the U.S. who are waiting for their Green Card to finish processing. Visitor Insurance can provide basic to comprehensive coverage depending on the plan you select and the premium you can afford.
Some of the insurance providers who offer short-term visitors’ insurance are:
- Cigna Global
- GeoBlue
- VUMI
- International Medical Group (IMG)
- Seven Corners
- Trawick International
- WorldTrips
Some of these companies may market their plans as travel insurance instead of as visitors insurance; they function the same.
2. ACA Marketplace Plans for Green Card Applicants
Applicants for Green Cards who are adjusting their Lawful Permanent Resident status (LPR) can be eligible for Marketplace insurance. Not all plans in the Marketplace require you to already have a Green Card, so immigrants will want to research to check if they qualify for Marketplace coverage.
The 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 is either run by the local or federal government.
Most often you must be a lawfully permanent resident to qualify, though there are some exceptions for Green Card applicants as previously stated.
All Marketplace plans include these 10 essential health benefits:
- Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care you get without being admitted to a hospital)
- Emergency services
- Hospitalization
- Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care
- Mental health and substance use disorder services
- Prescription drugs
- Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
- Laboratory services
- Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
- Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits)
3. Short-Term Health Plans for Pending Green Card Holders
New U.S. residents in the middle of Green Card processing can get temporary U.S. health insurance coverage while they wait. Most short-term insurance plans cover preventative care, emergency care, urgent care, and medical tests, and some offer discounts on prescription medications.
Short-term insurance plans do not often cover pre-existing conditions, mental health services, maternity care, and substance abuse.
Some of the best short-term health insurance companies in the U.S. are:
- Everest
- Pivot Health
- UnitedHealthcare
4. Travel Health Insurance During Green Card Wait
Travel medical insurance is a type of travel insurance plan that focuses on health coverage, as opposed to trip expenses and belongings like a standard travel insurance policy. Immigrants who are waiting on a green card may want to get a travel medical plan temporarily to cover their medical bills.
A travel medical plan can last up to a year if necessary. Unlike a traditional travel insurance plan that strictly covers emergency medical care and treatment, a travel medical plan offers more comprehensive coverage with some outpatient and office visit benefits.
A travel medical plan includes benefits such as:
- Inpatient care/hospitalization
- Emergency medical services
- ER visits
- Ambulance use
- Emergency medical evacuation and/or repatriation
- Office visits
- Lab work
- Outpatient prescription drugs
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Dental care due to injury or pain
Some very strong travel medical insurance providers for new immigrants are GeoBlue, VUMI, and IMG.
GeoBlue Travel Medical Insurance
GeoBlue offers uniquely customized plans for U.S. residents that include coverage inside and outside of the U.S. Immigrants in the U.S. who don’t have a green card will appreciate their Voyager and Trekker plans that cover you for a single trip up to 182 days or for multiple trips within a year.
VUMI Travel Medical Insurance
VUMI Travel VIP plans grant you full medical coverage for up to a year, including emergency care, emergency dental, outpatient and specialist visits, hospitalization, prescriptions, and much more. VUMI plans also include free coverage for children under 2. The annual medical limit is USD $5,000,000.
IMG Travel Medical Insurance
IMG’s Patriot Plus travel medical insurance plan is uniquely designed for coverage in the United States. Non-green cardholders who choose this plan will get health coverage for physician visits, cancer care, x-rays and labs, prescriptions, hospitalization, and more.
5. U.S. State Health Programs for Immigrants Without Green Cards
Many states have health insurance programs for non-citizens living in the U.S., regardless of whether or not you are applying for a Green Card. Immigrants waiting to become lawfully permanent residents should research their local state’s insurance programs to find medical coverage.
For example, in the state of Illinois, there are the following health programs for immigrants:
6. Global Health Plans for Immigrants Without Green Cards
Non-Green Card holders who aren’t citizens in the U.S. may want international health insurance because these plans cover you anywhere in the world, regardless of your citizenship status. These long-term plans can cover you for over a year or as many years as you choose to renew.
International health insurance plans include comprehensive inpatient benefits, and many include the option for outpatient, dental, vision, and maternity coverage as well.
The purpose of these plans is to grant you access to quality healthcare and coverage even as you travel outside of your home country. This can be a perfect balance for individuals and families who are waiting on Green Cards in the U.S. but don’t quite have them yet.
The top 10 very best international health insurance providers are:
- VUMI
- Cigna Global
- AXA
- MSH International
- GeoBlue
- Allianz Care
- IMG Global
- April International
- Now Health International
- BUPA Global
You can compare international health insurance plans and their quotes on our obligation-free quote generator we offer as a free public service to all.
7. CHIP Coverage for Kids and Pregnant Immigrants
As of June 2024, 36 states have changed their policies to offer CHIP medical coverage for children, and 30 states have elected to offer coverage to pregnant people, regardless of their immigration status. If you live within one of these states, you can still get coverage without a Green Card.
You can see the following table information on a map in this article.
CHIP Coverage for Non-Green Card-Holding Immigrants by State |
||
| State (or D.C.) | CHIP for Children | CHIP for Pregnant People |
| D.C. | ✓ | ✓ |
| Washington | ✓ | ✓ |
| California | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nevada | ✓ | ✓ |
| Colorado | ✓ | ✓ |
| New Mexico | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nebraska | ✓ | ✓ |
| Minnesota | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wisconsin | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arkansas | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kentucky | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ohio | ✓ | ✓ |
| Maine | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vermont | ✓ | ✓ |
| New Hampshire | ✓ | ✓ |
| Massachusetts | ✓ | ✓ |
| New York | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connecticut | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rhode Island | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pennsylvania | ✓ | ✓ |
| New Jersey | ✓ | ✓ |
| Delaware | ✓ | ✓ |
| Virginia | ✓ | ✓ |
| Maryland | ✓ | ✓ |
| West Virginia | ✓ | ✓ |
| North Carolina | ✓ | ✓ |
| South Carolina | ✓ | ✓ |
| Georgia | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hawaii | ✓ | ✓ |
| Oregon | ✓ | ✗ |
| Montana | ✓ | ✗ |
| Utah | ✓ | ✗ |
| Texas | ✓ | ✗ |
| Iowa | ✓ | ✗ |
| Illinois | ✓ | ✗ |
| Louisiana | ✓ | ✗ |
| Florida | ✓ | ✗ |
| North Dakota | ✗ | ✓ |
| Wyoming | ✗ | ✓ |
| Idaho | ✗ | ✗ |
| South Dakota | ✗ | ✗ |
| Arizona | ✗ | ✗ |
| Kansas | ✗ | ✗ |
| Oklahoma | ✗ | ✗ |
| Missouri | ✗ | ✗ |
| Indiana | ✗ | ✗ |
| Michigan | ✗ | ✗ |
| Tennessee | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mississippi | ✗ | ✗ |
| Alabama | ✗ | ✗ |
| Alaska | ✗ | ✗ |
CHIP, or the Children Health Insurance Program, provides health coverage to children and pregnant people in families who earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but too little to afford private insurance.
To qualify, children and pregnant individuals must meet state income and residency rules (unless waived by one of the above states).
As of June 2024, California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Washington, and D.C. have also expanded their state-funded coverage to income-eligible adults, regardless of their immigration status.
Medical Coverage Options After Getting a Green Card
After receiving their Green Card, immigrants may be eligible to get health insurance through Medicare, Medicaid, health insurance subsidies, and private health insurance providers. You may also get insurance through your employer or continue with an international health insurance plan.
Read about these ten ways newly approved Green Card holders can get medical coverage.
How Insurance Brokers Help Green Card Applicants Choose Plans
Using a broker to find and select your medical insurance plan can save you money and time. Brokers are insurance experts who don’t work for any one insurance company. This means they aren’t biased in steering you to pick from only their company’s plans.
They’ll present you with dozens of providers on the market, and let you choose the plan that fits your needs and budget. This is different from insurance agents who often represent a single company and only want you to buy from them.
Find out more about the differences between an insurance agent and a broker and learn how Pacific Prime can help you solve your insurance problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get health insurance while waiting on a Green Card?
Immigrants in the U.S. who are waiting for their Green Card to be approved can get health coverage through visitor insurance or travel insurance plans, state-run programs designed for unlawful residents, and international health insurance. Children and pregnant people can get insurance through CHIP.
Can I get medical coverage after my Green Card comes?
Lawfully present residents in the U.S. who have a Green Card can get health insurance through Medicaid, Medicare, the ACA Marketplace, CHIP, federal government subsidies, domestic health insurance, coverage offered by your employer, private insurance providers, and more.
Who provides short-term health insurance for Green Card applicants?
Immigrants who have applied for a Green Card but are still waiting to receive it can get short-term travel medical insurance through GeoBlue, VUMI, International Medical Group (IMG), Cigna, Trawick, Seven Corners, and Worldtrips.
Conclusion
We’ve now discussed 7 options for non-Green Card holders to get medical coverage while living in the U.S. You should be on the right track to discovering which methods you are eligible for while you keep waiting for your Green Card to finish processing.
If you’d like to compare plans and quotes for an international health insurance plan, use our online quote generator. With it, you can compare over 50,000 plans side by side. Reach out to one of our Pacific Prime experts to get your individual questions answered. We’re here to serve you!
We also recommend you read our related blog posts Health Insurance for Green Card Holding Parents and Health Insurance for Newly Approved Green Card Holders.
You’ll also likely find value in the following articles:
- Short-Term Health Insurance Plans
- Foreign Visitors’ Health Insurance Guide
- International Health Insurance
Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).
Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.
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