Benefits of Green Card
Green card and thereafter up to five years
Introduction:-
Green card gives you the right to be resident of USA and you become American and non-resident of India. You are a still a citizen of India with right of voting in India but don’t have right of voting in America. This also gives you employment authorization in America and many other facilities. This article deals with how to obtain these facilities as these are your legal right as resident of this country. As resident you can live in America with some limitations as per your will and as per law of the land without any restriction of time limit witch you had as a visitor though remaining a national of India. This card requires renewal after ten years. The facilities to be obtained are ,
1. Obtain Social security number
Soon after receiving green card you must apply to Social Security office lying in Zip code of your address as given in your application for green card. Location can be seen on internet. For example location for Zip code 95014 is Social Security Office Information
Address:
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ROOM 244 2ND FLOOR
280 S FIRST STREET
SAN JOSE, CA 95113
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Phone:
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Take an appointment or walk in at about 9 AM. and take token no. and fill application as per your turn. You will be asked some questions. About where you live and home telephone no. and relationship with owner of residence etc. You have to take passport and green card with you. You shall get your Security card with your security number at your residence. Keep it safely and keep secret of your security no.
2. Obtain driving Licence/ Identity Card
After obtaining your Social security no. you can app[y for your driving licence/ identity card at the nearest county and can be found on internet For Santa Clara County it is located at 3665 Flora Vista Avenue. You should take your social Security card and Passport with you. You shall be required to give driving test and if you qualify you will receive your driving licence at your home If you do not apply for driving licence your identity card shall be sent to you.Before drivng test you must read th car manual and driving Manual of the state, It will be helpful.
3. Open Bank account
You can open your bank account with this Driving License/ Identity card. and with your passport . Obtain pass book, Check book and debit card by depositing sufficient money but less than 2000 dollars if you are going to apply for Med-Cal’
4 . Obtain library card ‘
Library card is also issued to visitors on proof of residence and Passport. If you have not already got it issued, apply for it at nearest County Library with proof of address. Driving Licence or identity card is proof of your address as well of your age You will get the form at the Library.
5. Obtain Star outreach for Seniors/Para transit out Reach if you are seriously disabled.
If you are senior and have some form of disability ie use cane or walking aids or use wheel chair the Santa Clara county/ US government provide facility of out-reach to move to your destinations within the county. f or visitors and residents of Santa Clara county .For Seniors , Star out -reach is available and you may call tel .no. 408-436-4860 for application and send the form duly filled in with proof of age and you will get a card and instructions issued to you at your home. They have 40 trips in a year only. For other counties find out the phone no on internet at web site Outreach.com Out reach for senior citizens The rules vary from state to state and travl is allowed within county limits.
.If you are disabled you may also get Para Transit service for this you can down load form at website http://www.outreach1.org/paratransit/para_eligibility.html The American with Disability act (ADA) establishes the criteria for paraTtransit eligibility.Specifically,eligi
bilityis based upon t o contact your physian or licenced professionaly and authorisationour functional inability to use the bus or or light rail system, or some or all the the time.You may also get forms by calling Outreach,inc. at
1 (408 ) 436 0155
Follow just two steps to apply for VTA Transit service
1 . Submit an application form!. Duly completed
2 . Participate in Phone InterviewDuring the Phone interview you will be asked questions about your functional abilities and limitations. Within 21 days you will hear from them.And either provided withPara ransit Card or refusal.
6. Obtain Clipper card
Clipper card is a card for use for travelling by bus service, and light rail personal prepaid card where you do not have to pay hard cash every time and it is used as debit card. You can have monthly cards also. You have to down load at web site and send it duly filled with proof of identity and address and you shall get Clipper card which can be energised on depositing amount at counter or by transfer of money on internet. This facilitates you in journey by public transport. You can correspond at address Clliper Customer Center ,PO.box 318,Concurd CA 94522-0318. Or contact at phone no. 877,878,8883 or see web clippercard.comoe E mail custser@cllipercard.com
7. Apply for Covered California for Medical benefits/ Medi-Cal benefits and then for Medical plans and personal doctor orVarious plans under cove. The rules vary from state to state. And you may obtain information from their websites.
Please open web site http://www.coveredca.com/individuals-and-families/getting-covered/special-enrollment/ and also Covered CA.com and proceed to open your account and fill electronic form.This will require your family global income in dollars and Other details of passport, property etc and all about you and your family , the passport, green card and social security number and your address in USA etc.Fill these according to instructions for filling form.
After you have submitted your application for Covered California you shall receive a from its office at West Sacramento CA about important news about your health benefits either rejecting your application giving reasons of rejection or letter Congratulating you for qualifying for health Insurance through Covered California including Med-Cal. ,you also get your card number.
For applying for Med- Cal you have to obtain forms from Medical Benefit Center located at 550 South Boscom Avenue , San hose CA Phone no. 408-758-3800 or 877-962-3633/
The Forms desire information about your Real and Personal Property-This is to be submitted to above office along with following information and documents in support of information. .Income tax Return filled for last year in India /USA or both.., Valuation of Property, Source of Income and supporting document, Copy of Green Card, Copy of Passport, Proof of Address Copy of Security Card giving Security No. Bank Balances and other funds with details and supporting document etc to assess that you come within low income group. This has to be given now on Global basis and not for only USA . Sp only apply for Med-Cal if you qualify under Covered California as per income and you have Bank balance less than $ 2000/- for individual and less than three thousand dollars for two and so on. You are permitted to transfer your property to some one else before applying but concealing facts is punishable under law’ Usually wife has no property and so is allowed Med-Cal benefit and Husband enjoy benefits of Covered California Policy. . Therefore both are required to file separate applications for Med-Cal . If you are denied Med-Cal you are served with notice of action giving reasons of denial. As ” your resources exceed the Aged and disabled rules’ These rules are called"(1931) Program General Property and Income Limitations For Low-Income group"-Cal General Property Limitations "
Part . 1. Med-Cal section 1931 ( B ) Program General Property And Income Limitations For Low-Income Families which gives property limit for one individual as $ 2000/- and for two as$ 3000/- and so on and income limits as $ 931/- for individual and for family of two $ 1261/- and so on
If you are qualified then you get a Med- Cal card. Then you are required to select the plans and your personal doctor according to rules.
The Covered California or obama care in other states
It offers Covered California health Insurance benefits as following
1. Ambulatory patient services 2. Emergency services 3.Hospitilisation 4. Maternity and new born care 5. Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioural health treatment. 6. Prescription drugs 7. Laboratory services 8. Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
9. Pedriatic services, including oral and vision care. For coverage through Covered California, you must pick a health plan
If you or someone in your family qualifies through Covered California, you must pick a health plan. Your coverage will start after you pick a plan and pay your first premium ( monthly Cost) .If you have not already picked the health plan that best fits your needs please log on to your account at www. CoveredCA.com. Then click the “ button located at the bottom of eligibility result screen, choose Health Plan “
You can als-J call the service centre to help you.( Medical Benefit Center ,550 S. Boscom Avenue Sanjose.. Those who are eligible for Med-Cal need not apply for insurance under this scheme.
Covered California offers five types of Insurance on cost sharing.(such as for deductibles, co payments and and out of pocket maximum amounts} These health plans are subsidized and guaranteed Under Affordable Care Act 2010 popularly known as Obama Car
Term Health Insurance
?Term Health Insurance is an affordable and flexible alternative to Obamacare. Different levels of benefits among plans means you choose the right coverage for you. This flexibility makesTerm Health Insurance very affordable, typically half the cost of Obamacare plans. Theseplansoffer access to a broad range of healthcare providers, include dental discountsandcustomization from 1 month to 11 month plans.
Join the hundreds of thousands of people who currently rely on term health insurance for more affordable medical and financial protection. Term Health Insurance plans available on AgileHealthInsurance.com are from top insurance carriers, many with a financial strength rating of A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best. The AM Best rating represents an independent opinion from the leading provider of insurer ratings of a company's financial strength and ability to meet its obligations to policyholders.
1. Platinum Covers 90% of cost
2. . Gold Covers 80% of cost
3. . Silver Covers 70% of cost
4. Bronze Covers 60% of cost
5. Minimum coverage plan these are designed to cover excessive medical bills to persons below 30 years or those individuals who are experiencing financial hard ship’
These insurances cover pre-existing health condition Regardless of present or past, at no extra cost but it should be noted that it applies during the open enrollment period only.
There are are three Approved Insurance Companies in Santa Clara county 1. Antthem Blue cross ( go to web site anthem.com/ca You may call 1-800-927-help(4357)
2. Blue Shield of California customer service phone no 1-800-393-6130headquarters located at San-Francisco
You can get competitive rates from these three firms for your preferred metal level policy and pay the first premium accordingly in compliance of notice of qualifying for covered California within time stipulated otherwise offer will lapse.
. Medical facilities granted under Federal Poverty Level assistance. This is done by center “Ability to pay program located at 770 S. Bosom Ave. San--Jose CA 95128. Program resources limit.
APD is a low income program that Valley medical provides It does not provide primary doctor and does not cover Ambulances, vision, Podiatry, Dental (Except for Emergency which it covers) & some others A patient can be seen only at Valley Medical centers For Express or Urgent care call no
1-888-334-1000 from 7 AM onward for appointments. For any specialties ( a patient has to be referred by a doctor to be seen and by approved first . Medicines are provided by VMC Pharmacies only
Apply for Ccitizenship and there after for Medicare Part ! And Part 2 etc. These will be dealt n another article.
Conclusion
There are many items not covered by this article such as social life, clubs, senior centers and Indian community canters, parks etc where Indian seniors meet each other and places to be visited and how to utilize time These are beyond scope of this article which has mainly dealt with facilities which can be obtained by green card holders. However You can read Indian news at www.Samachar ,See DD News live atwebcast.gov.in.
Caution ? These are according to my knowledge based on internet and personal experience and do not depict the law of land.
Avdhesh Kumar Mathur
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