Understanding the Education and Healthcare System of the United States
When coming to the United States there are several things that citizens of the United States don’t even think about because they have been raised around it their entire life. The two most common ones are the education and healthcare system. These are second nature to majority of individuals in the U.S. however immigrants may have no idea how it is set up. This blog post is to help them better understand therefore they are more equipped when it comes to handling this portion of their day to day lives.
First looking at the education system within the United States. Free education is provided to children from age five to 18. It is broken down into three major sections. First is elementary school which starts with kindergarten at age five and goes to fifth grade which they are usually around age 11. Then they go onto Junior High this is from sixth to eighth grade, therefore their ages are 11 to 14. Then there is High School which is ninth grade to twelfth grade, ages 14 to 18. Majority of school years start in either august or September and will run through May depending on the school.
To enroll a child into school you need to contact your local school district’s main office and they will provide you with the information you may be required to fill out or present. Please be aware that most schools require a child’s medical records and certain immunizations records. If you are concerned about your child not speaking English, the school district will evaluate your child and come up with a game plan to improve their English. Lastly, the child will be provided with the books needed to complete schoolwork for free, a school bus will be available to pick them up and when it comes to lunch the child will either be able to eat school lunch or may pack their own.
Next is the healthcare system within the United States. This a topic that is discussed in depth by majority of the individuals within the United States. Even though it can be complex this is the most simplified terms. First if the immigrant is employed their employer may provide health insurance for them and take a certain amount out of their paycheck to pay for the agreed upon portion. However, if an individual is not employed or their employer does not offer health insurance there are a few other options.
If an employer doesn’t offer health insurance, it will be on the employee to find health insurance. Depending on the individual’s income will depend on what they can afford or what is offered to them. If an individual makes more than a certain amount a year, they will not qualify for government insurance, instead they will have purchase insurance through a private insurance company such as Blue Cross Blue Shield. If an individual is unemployed or makes less than the certain amount discussed above, they may qualify for Medicaid. If an individual is above the age of 65 or under 65 and have a disability, then they may qualify for Medicare.
Education and healthcare in the United States can be overwhelming however talk to the school district or the employer’s human resources for any further clarification and they should be able to help. Moving to a new country is terrifying adventure however The Law Office of Travis Helm is here to help transition immigrants into their new lives.
If you are looking for a legal representative The Law Office of Travis Helm can help. To make an appointment with Attorney Travis himself, just give us a call today at 307-460-2032 and let us know how we can help you!