Family Health Insurance for Green Card Holders with Parents Visiting from Abroad 

For Green Card holders living in the United States, having parents visit from abroad is a special and often long-awaited moment. Whether the visit is for a few months or an extended stay, one of the most important—and frequently misunderstood questions is — health insurance coverage. 

The U.S. healthcare system is among the most expensive in the world, and visiting parents are not eligible for government-sponsored health programs. Choosing the right insurance solution is essential to protect both your parents’ health and your family’s finances. 

Table of Contents: 

• Two Separate Insurance Needs in One Family 
• Health Insurance Options for Green Card Holder Families 
• Why Visiting Parents Usually Need Separate Visitor Insurance 
• Choosing Visitor Insurance for Parents 
• FAQs 
• Conclusion 

Two Separate Insurance Needs in One Family 

As a green card holder, you are treated as a US resident for health coverage, while your visiting parents are treated as temporary foreign visitors. 

You (Green Card holder): 

• Eligible for employer-sponsored plans 
• ACA Marketplace (“Obamacare”) plans 
• Medicare (if eligible) 
• Medicaid (if eligible) 
• Private major medical insurance 

Visiting parents: 

• Generally, require visitor or travel medical insurance 
• Cannot usually be added to U.S. domestic health plans unless they are also legal U.S. residents 

In practice, “family health insurance” usually means one policy for you and your immediate household, and a separate visitor insurance plan for your parents. 

Health Insurance Options for Green Card Holder Families 

As a lawful permanent resident, you have several ways to insure yourself, your spouse, and children living in the US: 

Employer-sponsored insurance: sponsored insurance: 

• Often the most cost-effective and comprehensive.
• Many plans let you add a spouse and children; ACA Marketplace (Healthcare.gov or state exchange): 
• As a lawfully present immigrant, you can buy coverage and may receive premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions based on household income and size.
• Household members on the same policy generally must also be lawfully present; (visiting parents on tourist visas are not eligible for Marketplace coverage). 

Medicare/Medicaid (if eligible): 

• Medicare: Usually if you are 65+ and have been a green card holder in the US for at least five continuous years. 
• Medicaid:  Available to low-income green card holders, usually after a 5-year waiting period (varies by state).

Private major medical plans: 

• Bought directly from insurers when you are not using employer or Marketplace coverage. 
• Often similar to Marketplace plans but without subsidies. 
• These options are primarily for people who live in the U.S. full-time, not short-term visitors.
  

Why Visiting Parents Usually Need Separate Visitor Insurance 

Parents visiting on a B1/B2 visa or other short-term visas are not US residents and generally: B1/B2 or other short-term visa are not US residents and generally: 

• Are not eligible to be added to your ACA or Medicaid coverage. 
• Are not eligible for their own ACA plan or subsidies while on a visitor visa. 
• Do not qualify for Medicare unless they themselves become green card holders and meet residency rules. 

Instead, they typically need travel/visitor medical insurance designed for visitors or new immigrants from India or other countries: 

• These plans cover new eligible illnesses, accidents, ER visits, and hospitalizations during the trip. 
• Many policies offer coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions with limits and waiting periods, which is important for older parents with existing health conditions. existing condition coverage with limits and waiting periods, which is important for older parents with diabetes, BP, or heart issues. 
• Coverage can be bought for the exact travel period (e.g., 10 days, 30 days, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year) and renewed if they extend their stay depending on the selected plan. 

Choosing Visitor Insurance for Parents 

When you are a green card holder with parents visiting from India or elsewhere, you will want a plan that balances cost and coverage for their age and health. 

Important features to look for: 

• Adequate medical maximum: For older parents, consider the maximum allowable amount for their age. Opting for 100,000–250,000 USD coverage if available (more if budget allows), would be a good option as US hospitalization is very expensive. 
• Acute onset of preexisting condition benefits: Many visitor plans include some coverage for emergency treatment for sudden worsening of existing conditions (chronic or non-chronic depending on the plan)existing condition benefits: Many visitor plans cover emergency treatment for sudden worsening of existing conditions (e.g., heart attack in a diabetic parent), with specific limits. 
• Network hospitals: Plans that use large PPO networks can mean easier direct billing and negotiated rates. 
• Emergency evacuation and repatriation: Useful when parents travel around the US; covers transport to a medically qualified facility or back to home country in extreme situations of death. 

If Parents Later Get Green Cards 

If your parents eventually become green card holders themselves, their options change: 

• They may become eligible for Marketplace plans as lawfully present immigrants and could qualify for subsidies based on household income. 
• They can typically enroll in Medicare only after living as permanent residents in the US for five continuous years, and even then, may have to pay a premium for Part A if they lack sufficient work history. 
• Until they hit the 5year mark and age 65, they often rely on ACA plans or specific immigrant health policies rather than visitor insurance. 

FAQs 

1. Do my parents need health insurance just to visit me in the US? 

Health insurance is not legally required for short visits, but going without coverage is extremely risky. US medical costs are very high, and a single emergency visit can cost more than the entire trip. Visitor insurance helps protect both your parents’ finances and your own savings. 

2. What is the difference between my green card holder coverage and my parents’ visitor insurance? 

As a green card holder, you can use resident options like employer coverage, ACA Marketplace plans, Medicaid, or Medicare (if eligible). Your visiting parents, however, usually qualify only for temporary visitor medical plans that cover them during their stay in the US.term US residency. 

3. What kind of health insurance is best for parents visiting from India or other countries? 

For short trips, a comprehensive visitor medical plan with at least 100,000–250,000 USD coverage, good hospital networks, and some protection for acute onset of preexisting conditions is usually the safest choice. 

4. Will visitor insurance cover my parents’ preexisting conditions like diabetes or heart disease? 

Most visitor policies do not fully cover routine treatment of preexisting conditions. Many offer limited coverage for “acute onset” of preexisting conditions—sudden, unexpected flareups —but with caps and specific rules. Review the section about pre-existing conditions inthe policy carefully.existing conditions. Many offer limited benefits for “acute onset” of preexisting conditions—sudden, unexpected flareups such as a heart attack or stroke—but with caps and specific rules. You should read this section of the policy very carefully. 

5. If my parents later get green cards, can they switch from visitor insurance to regular US health insurance? 

Yes. Once they become green card holders living in the US, they may qualify for ACA Marketplace plans (often with subsidies) or, after enough years of residence and possibly work credits, for Medicare. At that point, you usually move them off visitor plans and onto resident style coverage.style coverage. 

Conclusion 

For Green Card holders, arranging health insurance for visiting parents is not optional—it is essential. Visitor health insurance protects against overwhelming medical costs, ensures access to quality care, and provides peace of mind during their stay in the U.S. 

With the right planning and coverage, you can focus on what truly matters: spending quality time with your parents, not worrying about unexpected medical bills.