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Health insurance

Old Jul 15th 2019, 5:14 pm
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Default Health insurance

Hi all

I am aware there are other threads related to this however I am wondering if anyone has any experience of health insurance whilst on a non immigrant visa?

We are due to hopefully be over towards the end of the year in Florida on an E2 and I have found some insurance by IMG called patriot American platinum for U.K. residents long term in the US.

It appears to cover most stuff pretty well. Has anyone had experience of this or can recommend another company?

thanks
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Old Jul 15th 2019, 8:41 pm
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Default Re: Health insurance

A quick google suggests that the Patriot American Platinum may be travel insurance, which is not appropriate for your situation.

Last edited by civilservant; Jul 15th 2019 at 9:28 pm.
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Old Jul 15th 2019, 9:26 pm
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Default Re: Health insurance

Whether your visa to the US is an immigration visa, business visa, etc., healthcare insurance is the same once you have taken up residency in the state you will be living in. Doesn't matter if you are scheduled to be here 6 months, 2 years or a lifetime.
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Old Jul 18th 2019, 9:17 pm
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Default Re: Health insurance

Originally Posted by rdf2016
.......It appears to cover most stuff pretty well.
Somehow, I doubt that very much in this day and age for a new policy - whatever your immigration or citizenship status.
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Old Jul 19th 2019, 8:31 pm
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Default Re: Health insurance

It is basically a form of travel insurance, not suitable for someone who presumably will be here long term.
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Old Jul 20th 2019, 2:44 am
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Default Re: Health insurance

Hi, and welcome to Florida. We are here in Orlando on E2 and have insurance with Ambetter.
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Old Jul 26th 2019, 11:21 am
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Default Re: Health insurance

Thanks all for your replies. Looks like we will try and just get domestic insurance as the reviews on the international health insurances for paying out are pretty bad!

has anyone had any experience of Florida blue?
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Old Jul 26th 2019, 12:47 pm
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Default Re: Health insurance

Changes every year, you need to check the Exchange for next year when policies are announced.
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Old Jul 29th 2019, 2:26 am
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Default Re: Health insurance

Originally Posted by rdf2016

has anyone had any experience of Florida blue?
In my experience, pick two words that rhyme with plucking farce-moles,
US health insurance should be renamed 'robbing negotiating middleman' . My wife pays hundreds of bucks a month for me to jump on her policy, I had to make an unplanned trip to the ER for a tricksy heat cramp in February this year. The hospital sent out a bill for $23K, the insurer negotiated it down, paid about $80 and I had to stump up a deductible for $1200. Then a bill from the radiologist arrived, which was negotiated down by a few bucks, insurer paid out zero and left me with a payment of over $350, apparently applied to my deductble. This week, one day short of five months from the event, a bill from the doctors arrives, which bounced back from the insurers, was 'contractually adjusted' to $360+ which, again was 'applied to my deductible. Once again, I am going to assume that they have finished billing out...although I don't appear to have had a bill from the janitorial department, yet...

In short, one visit to the ER should have had a $1200 deductible but healthcare providers have sussed that if every visit is billed separately for different in-house services by different companies then they can clobber the poor schmuck who has nowhere else to go at 2am for nearly twice what they'd get from the agreed deductible for an ER visit. W-anchors!!
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Old Jul 29th 2019, 4:06 pm
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Default Re: Health insurance

Originally Posted by zzrmark
In my experience, pick two words that rhyme with plucking farce-moles,
US health insurance should be renamed 'robbing negotiating middleman' . My wife pays hundreds of bucks a month for me to jump on her policy, I had to make an unplanned trip to the ER for a tricksy heat cramp in February this year. The hospital sent out a bill for $23K, the insurer negotiated it down, paid about $80 and I had to stump up a deductible for $1200. Then a bill from the radiologist arrived, which was negotiated down by a few bucks, insurer paid out zero and left me with a payment of over $350, apparently applied to my deductble. This week, one day short of five months from the event, a bill from the doctors arrives, which bounced back from the insurers, was 'contractually adjusted' to $360+ which, again was 'applied to my deductible. Once again, I am going to assume that they have finished billing out...although I don't appear to have had a bill from the janitorial department, yet...

In short, one visit to the ER should have had a $1200 deductible but healthcare providers have sussed that if every visit is billed separately for different in-house services by different companies then they can clobber the poor schmuck who has nowhere else to go at 2am for nearly twice what they'd get from the agreed deductible for an ER visit. W-anchors!!
That pretty well sums up my experiences with health insurers over 29 years in the US. Even after 26 years of experience with I still got burned by their practices. I have lots of similar stories, the most egregious being when I had been referred to a doctor and facility to have an examination with tests so I made sure the facility, the doctor, the anethesist etc were all in network before going. The usual array of bills started coming in including from 2 labs, one of which was in network and the other which was not and Louisiana Blue Cross refused to pay a penny leaving them chasing me for $750 for the histology test on a small lump. (fortunately the result was negative). After a year of written appeals and phone calls they reduced the bill to $50, $20 paid by BC and $30 paid by me. A pox on all their houses.
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Old Jul 29th 2019, 4:20 pm
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Default Re: Health insurance

Originally Posted by durham_lad
That pretty well sums up my experiences with health insurers over 29 years in the US. Even after 26 years of experience with I still got burned by their practices. I have lots of similar stories, the most egregious being when I had been referred to a doctor and facility to have an examination with tests so I made sure the facility, the doctor, the anethesist etc were all in network before going. The usual array of bills started coming in including from 2 labs, one of which was in network and the other which was not and Louisiana Blue Cross refused to pay a penny leaving them chasing me for $750 for the histology test on a small lump. (fortunately the result was negative). After a year of written appeals and phone calls they reduced the bill to $50, $20 paid by BC and $30 paid by me. A pox on all their houses.
Similar happened to us. Hubby went to ER was checked out...everything was OK. The doctor asked if he would wait so his attending could pop in to meet him. That ‘Hello, pleased to meet you.’ cost several hundred dollars because the attending doctor was not in network.

When going to the ER, checking which doctors are in network isn’t usually a priority.
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Old Jul 29th 2019, 4:45 pm
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Default Re: Health insurance

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl

When going to the ER, checking which doctors are in network isn’t usually a priority.
exactly!! Cost me almost $5k out of pocket in 2015 when I went to an ER with a dicky ticker incident.
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Old Jul 29th 2019, 8:14 pm
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Originally Posted by durham_lad
. A pox on all their houses.
+1 👍
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Old Jul 29th 2019, 9:09 pm
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Default Re: Health insurance

Originally Posted by durham_lad


exactly!! Cost me almost $5k out of pocket in 2015 when I went to an ER with a dicky ticker incident.
Another time hubby went to his doctor for results. The doctor was busy due to an emergency. He saw the assistant. Oops the assistant wasn’t in network.

So you have an apt to see your in network doctor. You are palmed off with someone else who isn’t in network. How does that work???
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