Our advice for choosing a USA health insurance
Taking a trip abroad is not a trivial matter, especially when it involves venturing onto American soil. Once you’ve applied for your ESTA or visa, you’ll also need to consider choosing the right health insurance. The cost of medical care in the U.S. can be exorbitant, and reimbursement of expenses can vary drastically depending on your health mutual or insurance company.
Las Vegas and New York may be the stuff of dreams, but the American healthcare system is not. In fact, it doesn’t work at all in the same way as in France or certain other European countries in the Schengen area. If, unfortunately, you have to be hospitalized in the USA, chances are you’ll regret not being able to take advantage of the European Health Insurance Card or French Social Security… So it’s important to anticipate all the possibilities of a possible health problem during your trip to the USA, and thus reduce any unpleasant surprises.
Which American health insurance is right for you?
It’s not easy to choose between expatriation insurance (also known as expatriate insurance), comprehensive insurance and civil liability insurance. What should you choose according to your status? It’s important to take your time to make the right choice, with the help of a insurance comparison, for example. Numerous insurance brokers can help you find the policy that best suits your needs .
Private and public systems in the U.S.
The American healthcare system is a mutualist system, which means that we each pay our own contributions to private organizations. The beneficiaries pay a monthly balance, the amount of which varies in accordance with certain criteria (age, illness, general state of health, etc). An obese person or a smoker, for example, will have to pay more, as the risk of developing certain diseases is higher. This system is totally different from our system, which is based on solidarity.
However, there are 2 public systems, funded by the government, and aimed at the most disadvantaged and the elderly: MEDICARE and MEDICAID.
With the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act , all Americans are obliged to take out health insurance. This law, nicknamed Obamacare since it was the brainchild of the former president, aims to reform the American healthcare system and reduce inequalities by giving millions of Americans access to social coverage.
Other insurance options for the United States
Some Visa and Mastercard Gold cards also offer expatriate health insurance, as well as other services such as travel insurance, repatriation assistance and partial reimbursement of medical expenses. Find out what your rights are in the event of a problem.
Another tip for partial coverage is to enroll in a university, even for a single course.
It is also possible to take out an international insurance policy, but you need to be careful that it is compatible with the requirements of the US government.
Your choice between these different types of insurance will depend on your profile: whether you’re a globetrotter wanting to visit the national parks, a student, an intern or a worker, the price and coverage of your insurance will not be the same.
Important information in the health insurance contract
There is a very specific vocabulary relating to American insurance. Knowing it and taking it into account will help you avoid unpleasant surprises.
There are a number of elements that determine how much you’ll have to pay out each month, or in the event of an insurance claim. You will need to check the terms “Copay” (the amount remaining to be paid), “out of pocket maximum” (the ceiling), “deductible” (the excess), “exclusions” or even the network of doctors covered by the insurance with “network”. These details will help you determine which medical assistance plan to choose in the event of an accident.
It is generally advisable to apply for full coverage, although this is more expensive. It should be noted that in certain cases, it is financially more advantageous to be repatriated to one’s own country for treatment.
To make the most of your stay abroad, you should also take out other types of insurance, such as home insurance, legal assistance or travel assistance (protection of personal effects ) if necessary. Trip cancellation insurance can also be useful in certain cases. Some organizations offer such packages, for example Chapka assurances or Mondial assistance (Allianz travel).