dominicjohnson83

Hi People

I am about to move from Australia to the USA on a working E-3 Visa for two years.

My USA employer has a insurance plan of about 48 USD a fortnight (bi-weekly).

The question is, are there any of you out there who use other options such as buy Travel Insurance from your home country.

I'm 28, fit and healthy and really think US Healthcare is a ripoff.

Cheers

Dom

Jerseygirl

You can't use travel insurance as you'll be living and working here.

AmerLisa

Its good that you're fit and healthy, but illness/accidents strike anyone. You need the health insurance. That premium is not too bad, hopefully the deductions and coverage are good as well.

Derrygal

I wouldn't call that premium a rip-off - it's actually quite reasonable. I pay more than that. As others have said, you really need health insurance here - you never know what might happen.

Jerseygirl

You can't only rely on your monthly premium. How much is the annual deductible, what percentage is the co-pay, do you have meds and dental insurance...if so again what are the co-pays?

scrubbedexpat099

i will take that as a premium!

Bob

If you're not willing to pay $100 a month for insurance, I wouldn't even bother coming tbh.

It's peanuts.

A broken leg isn't.

SanDiegogirl

...... put it like this. For the 2400 bucks (100 per month x 24 for your two years stay) you will save if you don't take the company insurance, be prepared to pay a lot more if you do get sick/have an accident.

is it really worth the risk?

Duncan Roberts

You could try travel insurance but one of two things will happen if you actually have to use it. 1, they will repatriate you to your home country or 2, they will deny all claims as you are no longer a resident of your home country. You have to ask yourself if you would be willing to end up back in your home country or face paying any medical bills out of your own pocket, that could be anywhere from $100 or so to well over a million dollars.

Englishman43

x 2 , if you're worried / concerned about shelling out that stay where you are 'cos that's f**K all to be blunt .

Ash UK/US

Couldn't have put it better myself LOL

lyonsden1193

Wow $48 per fortnight.... yes please!!! suggest you get me put on as a dependant to that policy.. I'll give you the $48 each fortnight. 1 prescription that I get costs more than that! just cause you fit and healthy now.. 1 slip on ice or an uninsured motorist can soon change that!

SultanOfSwing

Put it this way, my wife pays over twice that, per week for her and the children (I have my own, individual and I very, very, very luckily get that for free through our group PPO plan.)

You will likely have a $1,000.00 or greater deductible, maybe $3,000.00 total out of pocket but if you get hit by a car and then a bill for $100k or more, paying just 3% of that is well worth the $48.00 a fortnight IMHO.

The simple fact is, you need health insurance if you are to live in the US and not want to face instant bankruptcy if you get in an accident, and that is the reality. Unless you gave some ridiculously high deductible, that is a bloody good deal - take it and run and hide so they don't find out and give you a new, more expensive plan