Some of our partner employers offer health insurance and others do not. When you are work authorized, we will provide you with a Settlement guide to details about your sponsor. General information will be in the Settlement; however, insurance specifics will need to be discussed with your sponsor at your job orientation.
If your employer does not offer health insurance, feel free to purchase health insurance on the private market or through a family member.
Coverage, when available, will almost always be offered for purchase to include any legal dependents (children, spouse) residing with you.
Health Insurance Resources
Healthcare.gov has some information that will be a good starting point for understanding your healthcare and health insurance options.
Each insurance plan will cover different situations. There are no one-size-fits-all health insurance plans.
Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
The goal of the Affordable Care act is to make health insurance more widely available and accessible to people. It particularly supports individuals with pre-existing conditions or limited finances.
You can read more about the Affordable Care Act here.
Medicaid
Medicaid is government-funded healthcare that is for elderly people, pregnant people, low-income people, and people with disabilities. Eligibility can be determined here.
Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is part of Medicaid. You can check eligibility and application here.
Getting care / how to find a care provider
If you have health insurance through your employer or through another provider, see their list of care providers that qualify as in-network. Otherwise, you will likely have to pay out of pocket or pay more for out-of-network providers.
ZocDoc is a valuable resource for finding and booking appointments with healthcare providers nearby.
Urgent Care
Urgent care facilities have become common around the country. This is a good option if you are sick and can’t get an appointment with your primary doctor. Urgent care facilities are less expensive than going to the emergency room. If it is a true emergency, then you should go to the emergency room.
Free Clinics
If you don’t have health insurance, you can go to a Free Clinic. See a directory here.
Co-pays
Even if you do have health insurance, it is not uncommon to still pay a copay at any appointment, treatment, or consult with a doctor. A copay is a set fee that is usually required at a doctor’s visit, regardless of your insurance. Copays can be as low as $15 for a regular doctor’s appointment and can be as high as $300 for a visit to the emergency room.