With all the paperwork and planning involved in starting on a new work opportunity in the US, you probably haven’t had much chance or time to consider getting health insurance to cover your stay.
Healthcare costs can be astronomical in the US (more so if it occurs to you to convert those costs to your home country’s currency), so having insurance can give you real peace of mind against the very real possibility of you getting sick while you’re away from home.
This quick and easy primer gives you the straight up facts about getting the coverage you need as an expatriate.
Things You Need to Know About the US Healthcare System
As an expat, you’re not required by law to have health insurance, but it’s a highly prudent move to get some, especially if you have your family with you. Before you even start shopping around for a plan, you’d best arm yourself with the basic facts about getting healthcare in the US.
- Even if your workplace provides you and your family with insurance, chances are it won’t be enough or able to cover all your healthcare costs.
- Most of the US healthcare system has been privatized, which means public healthcare can be a real challenge to access, with long lines of patients in waiting rooms.
- US healthcare providers are required by law to take care of you whether you have insurance or not. However, if you don’t have insurance, these providers are likely to cut your treatment short the minute you’re out of danger.
- Many private healthcare providers will only accept patients, for example, who have certain types of insurance. Or, certain insurance providers will only give you access to the healthcare providers in their network.
Programs like Medicare or Medicaid are really only for US citizens or qualified immigrants, so as an expat, you may not be able to benefit from them. All the same, healthcare for expats in the US still has to comply with local laws such as the Affordable Care Act or ACA (even if most of the Act’s provisions won’t apply to you).
What coverage does health insurance for expats in the US have?
Apart from making sure you’re following ACA and other legal requirements for your healthcare, health insurance expatriates in the US generally go for usually covers the following:
- Check ups and other kinds of preventive care
- Emergency care (e.g., accidents)
- Pharmacy, lab tests and other medical costs
- Hospitalization
- Maternity and Pediatrics
- Dental and Optical
You can expect differences in coverage between insurance companies in terms of which hospitals or clinics will accept your insurance, and the level or extent of the care that will be paid for (which, of course, depends on the plan you choose). Some providers also have a maximum age for subscribing to a plan, although once subscribed, you could be covered for life.
There are also plans specifically for older expats or those who’ve hit retirement age which will cover things like heart issues, diabetes or arthritis. There’s also extra benefits (which you would also have to pay extra for) such as emergency evacuation or telemedicine services.
How to Choose a Health Insurance Plan for Expats in the US
Knowing how the healthcare system works, and what an insurance plan at Wellaway USA, for expats more or less looks like, here are the main things for you to bear in mind as you compare insurance plans from different companies.
- How long will you be staying in the US – because your insurance needs will be different if you’re not staying for more than a year, versus say five or seven years depending on your visa
- How old you are – because the rates for some insurance plans will be different for older adults or younger expats like students
- Translation services – because some insurance companies do offer these in case you would be more comfortable consulting in your own language
- Where in the US you will be staying – because you’ll need to make sure that your insurance plan will be accepted by the clinics or hospitals in your neighborhood
- How much you can afford – because you will have to be realistic about paying for your premiums and the benefits you’ll receive
You’ll also want to make sure that the insurance company has a track record for being trustworthy and respected in the industry. Do your research, check out reviews from real people if you can find them, and compare plans thoroughly before you choose. Having this protection will allow you to fully focus on your work goals throughout your stay in the US.
