Everyone knows that medical care in the United States is very expensive. And to be well covered you need to know how to find the best health insurance for visitors to the USA.
Not having one puts you at the risk of facing exorbitant and unmanageable expenses. Or even a refusal to give you attention. How can you be well covered and at the best price? Let’s take a look together!
Expat Health Insurance in the USA
How Does Obamacare Work?
The health care system in the USA is almost entirely based on private insurers. Ant their prices are poorly regulated.
The so-called Obamacare law made it compulsory to subscribe to a medical plan. And created an insurance market called “ACA compliant”, meeting all the criteria that this law requests.
Since Donald Trump came to power, this obligation has been lifted. It remains in place in only 5 states of the USA. Outside them, any resident can freely choose their health insurance policy without any penalty.
Is This the Best Health Insurance in USA?
It is very easy to get an ACA-compliant policy as your expat health insurance in the USA. But, is it a good choice?
Choosing American insurance requires a good knowledge of the local health care system. Both in terms of coverage and health care networks. Because this system differs profoundly from most of the European models.
It is an insurance solution that can be interesting when it is covered by the insured’s employer.
In this case, it is important to verify the services covered. These group insurances will not cover care received outside the USA. Even in the insured’s home country.
If the insured wishes to have more coverage, he/she will have to turn to international health insurance for expatriates.
Social Security as Health Insurance for Foreign Visitors to USA
Insufficient Reimbursements
If you have Social Security insurance in your country, it might cover you when you move abroad. It has an important advantage over private insurers: it does not refuse any membership request. And it does not require the completion of a health questionnaire.
However, Social Security is not the best health insurance in the USA for an expat. Its reimbursements are often calculated on the same basis as your home country’s prices. This will not correspond to the rates of care in the US. And you will have to pay the remaining expenses.
Supplementary Policies Increase the Price of Expat Health Insurance for the USA
To benefit from better reimbursements, it is necessary to take out a complementary policy with an international insurance company.
This approach has two drawbacks. It multiplies the number of administrative procedures. And it also increases the overall price of health insurance for foreign visitors to the USA.
1st Dollar Policies Are the Best Health Insurance for Visitors to the USA
The Most Recommended Among Expats
These policies often present the best value for money in terms of health insurance. And the companies that offer them are specialized in international coverage.
A lot of people living abroad recommend them as the best health insurance for visitors to the USA.
They are specially designed for expatriates. They include a variety of benefits adapted to everyone and reimburse health expenses from the first dollar incurred.
Another advantage is that they are very easy to manage from anywhere in the world. And they will cover you in all your travels.
The Importance of Requesting a Quote Before Choosing Your Insurance
Take in mind that it is not possible to know in advance the price of this insurance. It can vary a lot according to the guarantees covered and your personal situation.
A quote is therefore essential to compare the prices and services of these various insurance solutions.
It is important to know that having pre-existing medical conditions can generate additional premiums or exclusions of coverage.
Some 1st dollar policies are ACA compliant. If this is not the case, you will have to integrate the amount of the penalty into your premium to know the real price of your insurance in the states that still require the purchase of marketplace insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
An ACA compliant insurance meets many criteria, such as:
– Minimum coverages that are accessible and understandable
– No coverage limits
– No medical questionnaire
– No price variation according to the gender of the insured
– No cancellation of the contract in case of high consumption
– Children are covered up to 26 years old by their parents’ insurance.
It is difficult to give a price beforehand, without knowing some information. It varies according to the situation of the insured and the guarantees offered.
In addition, many American states do not have standard regulations regarding the cost of insurance, so prices are set by the companies. The best way to calculate the cost of your insurance is to get a quote.
Very often, the reimbursements given by Social Security are not sufficient for the USA. Indeed, these are calculated on the standard costs of your country, while medicine might be more expensive in the United States.
For this reason, many expatriates prefer to opt for international insurance at the 1st euro (or dollar).
