US Expats & Obamacare

[lucybelle]

I'm trying to figure out if I need to sign up for Obamacare. I know you don't have to if you're a resident in a foreign country, but I'm still in the "process" of being approved (applied 1.5 years ago).

Do any US expats have any insight? I guess I could just not sign up and pay the "penalty" which would be fine, but I'd be pissed if I had to pay for both my husband (foreigner) and me.

[TwoThree]

I'm so sorry for slightly derailing a topic on which I have absolutely no insight, but I found this, this morning, and I think Breaking Bad fan could get a good chuckle out of it



Carry on!

[mllebamako]

Do you currently have any insurance coverage in America, lucybelle? I have insurance (with a super high deductible) so if I were ever in an accident or got seriously sick, I'd be covered. I believe that means I'm exempt from signing up for Obamacare. But I'll definitely be looking into it and see what the various plans and coverage are. Maybe it'll be a more financially-wise option than my private insurance company.

From what I understand, you would need to sign up. But...from what I've read, if you don't foresee yourself using any expensive medical services in the US in 2014, it may be cheaper just to pay the penalty (since the penalty is only $95 for 2014). I don't see why you'd have to pay for your husband. UNLESS you guys got your visa and moved there, then I guess you would.

AHH this is so confusing!
This infographic helped me a bit, but not much!

[Dezface]

I was wondering this same thing...I'm pretty upset I'll have to pay a penalty when I'm not even in the damn country.

[MissButterfly]

As I read this, I started wondering if it would then apply to my SO as well! It's all a bit fishy, nobody gives the same answers, but this is what I found:

There are certain exceptions: religious affiliation, membership to an Indian tribe, citizens living abroad, and undocumented immigrants may not have to comply.

Even though this article is a blog post, I feel like it's pretty clear and provides the right links and sources to where they got their information: https://yucalandia.com/living-in-yuc...living-abroad/ If you live abroad you don't have to sign up and you won't have to pay the fee either, but you have to meet the 'living abroad' requirements such as these below and some others, but I didn't want to quote the whole thing

~ We must be outside of the the USA for 330 days in a calendar year to qualify. OR
~ We must qualify under IRS requirements to be a “bona fide resident” of a foreign country. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2555.pdf