Q546. Retired with pension &

health care benefits in India

moving to USA

Question: Dear Sir, An Indian Citizen getting pension and free healthcare after retirement. The Pensioner was borne in India, served for 33 years in India, had been paying taxes in India from last 45 years. His all children gets settled in USA and he is left alone in India. Therefore, he decides to opt for US citizenship due to old age. In the circumstances listed above, he gets US Citizenship and OCI CARD at the same time. Will change in citizenship in any way affect his Pension and Free healthcare (CGHS OR CHSS) in India. Please clarify. Thanking you, RK Tyagi Answer: Regarding your questions: 1. Pension: i. Pension should not be affected, people who acquire foreign citizenship and move abroad, can continue to draw their pensions and even have them sent abroad. 2. Health care: i. The ‘Central Government Health Scheme’ (CGHS) and I believe the Contributory Health Service Scheme (CHSS) are limited to coverage within India. Medical coverage provided under the free health care scheme would be lost once the person moves to the United States. ii. Coverage under the schemes that such a person is entitled to in India, would not provide coverage outside India under any circumstances. For instance, even if this person were to visit the United States for a short period without acquiring US citizenship or getting OCI, he would not be provided medical coverage for the period spend in the United States. For the time spent outside India, this person would have to buy travel medical insurance that would specifically cover him/her in the United States.

Medical Insurance Coverage in USA

Please be aware that health care costs in the United States are probably the highest in the world. If your children are already in the United States, I am sure they must be aware of the costs of medical insurance these days in the United States. Since coverage is based on age, seniors will find medical insurance rates quite high. To find out the current rates, simply do a on-line search for medical insurance in USA. Unless your children can arrange medical coverage, there would be no point in moving to the United States. Were it not for the high cost of medical insurance, I myself, would probably move to the United States where my children live.