Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I moved on a K-1 visa and am currently waiting for my AOS paperwork to go through. I need to arrange medical insurance but have no idea where to start. I know that when I can work, my employer may provide a health insurance policy, but I would like some advice on private policies - best value for money etc. from people who have researched this or pay privately already. I am in Charlotte, NC, if this makes any difference. Thank you!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

If you're young and healthy, just look for a catastrophic-type policy with very high deductibles to avoid bankruptcy if you have a major problem. For female needs, pay in cash at a Planned Parenthood.

If not healthy or middle-aged plus, pray the GOP don't get a majority and hold on in there.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Go to einsurance.com to find out about plans in your area and ball park costs.

Hopefully when you start working your employer WILL provide health insurance as getting a private health insurance plan (IF you are able to get one) is usually very expensive.

If you are pretty confident about getting work then look at the short term policies.

Google and you will also find insurance agents in your area who will help.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I assume your USC spouse is not on an insurance plan that you can be added to?

Rene

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I am healthy and 29 which, as my husband tells me is "childbearing age", might incur more costs. We're not looking to have a family for another few years, so I shall follow your advice. Thanks!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

He does but it's with his university, and he finishes his MA this semester. I would pay $800 from now to be covered up until May. Ouch.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Okay, I will check there. Thank you!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I think you will find that, with individual policies, being 29 is not considered of 'child bearing age' since the majority of individual policies do not cover maternity/pregnancy costs; and so this has no affect on premiums.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

That's interesting. Thank you!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

If you think that is bad you are in for a rude awakening I think. 800 bucks for 4 months I wish. :ohmy:

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I was thinking the same thing. From Feb to May would be 3 or 4 months (depending on dates). For 3 months, that comes to $266 a month. For 4 months, that comes to $200 a month. Those are good rates, IMO!

Rene

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Is that per month? or total? If total, that's not too bad, depending on the type of insurance of course.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Total. I know I am totally naive about rates, that's why I asked! It's a basic policy, apparently, and you have to see university docs.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Yeah, I figured. Maybe I will just try not to get sick. ;)

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Me too!!!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I came on a K1 and am with Patriot America - you can do this monthly (I think tho there may be a 6 month sign up at first) You can have this as a new immigrant for 2 years

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

There was an interesting article in a recent issue of Consumer Reports about so-called "mini-med" plans and how they may seem good until it's time to make a claim. Worth a read for anyone starting to navigate US health insurance:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...insurance.html

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Seriously without good health insurance cover get ill or have an accident and it could bankrupt you.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

+1 Also be aware that if you do get pregnant, even on insurance it can be expensive and as mentioned, most individual plans simply will not cover it.
I can't say what the actual cost to an individual would be as I'm certain the hospitals here inflate the price for Insurers (and they then apllied discounts etc) but my wifes pregnancy was billed at $18k (before dicounts etc were applied).
We were just responsible for the deductible and copays fortunately but it was still kinda expensive especially compared to Britain where it all would have been free.
Good luck!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Even if that was per month, that wouldn't be bad.

The thing you want to look into with any short term plan is if they would be considered creditable coverage so that you wouldn't have a break of 62 days of coverage from the NHS to getting full cover, which would be what would prevent any pre-existings from being excluded etc.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/to...ance-problems/

A thread on the same subject.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Just had a look - they are great! My husband had a look over it all too, as he is more familiar with the way it's all worded, and he agreed. Phew! Thanks so much for the recommendation!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Thank you!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I know, I was kidding, I promise. :) I will get it sorted ASAP.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I am confused as to what this means!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Okay, well, we are not planning to get pregnant for a few years yet, but obviously things can go wrong... I would like to have a plan that covers pregnancy JIC, but as it seems to be unusual, it may just be better to have general coverage now and look for specialist pregnancy cover later. Thank you for the information.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

You only get cover for pregnancy with Group Health Insurance i.e a policy via an employer/company.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Hi,

We have a basic primer on health care insurance in the wiki here:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Health_Insurance

In the health insurance industry, there is something called a "pre-existing condition". For example, you can't go out and break your leg, then the next day go to the insurance company and say "I'd like insurance coverage please" and then the day after that show up at the hospital and say "treat this, and put the tab on my insurance company." (I know, a silly example, but to illustrate the point). Insurance companies don't want to pay for things that you did before you joined their policy.

Now, if you have had "credible coverage" within the last 60 odd days, then your pre-existing conditions won't be precluded from coverage. Say in the UK you were treated for high blood pressure. If you QUICKLY get a plan in the USA, your NHS coverage will be considered "credible" such that your US insurance agency will have to cover the pre-existing condition of high blood pressure.

If you wait too long, then you get in a rut where you have to wait as long as six months (or never) to get coverage for pre-existing conditions. This is all scheduled to change as part of the health care reform act, but a very major portion of this act is under constitutional review by the Supreme Court (i.e. does the government have the constitutional authority to order the citizens to purchase health care?). It's actually a very tricky question, constitutionally speaking, and the results of that argument will likely be studied in law school for decades. It's quite possible to make convincing arguments on both sides. Will be interesting.

Anyway, you will likely get a much better offer on insurance from your husband's plan, which is probably a "group" plan offered by the university vs. you going out an buying an individual plan from some broker.

As others have pointed out, paying about $250 a month for a 29-year-old in child bearing years is well, pretty cheap. If you are a smoker or have a history of cancer in your family, you'll pay much more. As you and your husband start to budget for the future, I could easily see $400 or more a month for insurance costs for the both of you. FWIW the actual cost of my insurance for a family of 4 was $1,500 a month last time I checked. I don't pay it so I'm not sure what it is now.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I think pregnancy is not considered a pre-existing condition if you get insurance through a group plan. However, if you buy insurance individually, they can consider it a pre-existing condition and not cover it, or they can require say a 10 month waiting period before pregnancy coverage commences. But with those caveats I think you can technically get it on an individual plan (though I haven't tried myself).

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Most of the individual plans I've been looking at lately have included a maternity option. I haven't tried seeing what it would do to a "quick quote" though, much less a formal written quote. But when I was looking previously (when the wife was pregnant) all the plans stated that starting a plan whilst pregnant was a pre-existing medical condition and wouldn't be covered.

Looking at some of the figures people have posted, me paying $600 for a family of four doesn't seem quite so bad now - though a reasonably high deductible! But I think I've gotten over the shock of health insurance and have just considered it as a fact of life; a necessary expense.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I've heard stories of "normal" births costing thousands, with NICU/SCBU, Caesarian Sections etc, adding tens of thousands to a bill. For NICU stays, that could be thousands per day being racked up. Opting to be uninsured for pregnancy is not a wise move if you can afford the premiums!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Basically you don't want a break in insurance cover over 62 days.

The NHS is considered cover so you won't have a break.

When you get temporary cover, make sure it is considered creditable, so that you don't have a break in cover.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Our very normal birth three years ago was $16,000. The only optional extra was one day of TV service for $4.95 in the recovery room.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Last year, our 6 week premie, with 3 weeks in NICU, with a 90/10 insurance split left us with $10K of bills.

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This was an induced birth, but other than that was completely normal, no special care other than that she was induced as she was late. It's scary how expensive it is.

On another note my brother-in-law is in Neuro ICU and has been for 3 weeks (car wreck left him paralyzed). That's going to be one hell of a bill (no insurance other than medicaid...) It was a real eye opener to me in many ways, but on the insurance front it just highlights that you simply cannot not have insurance here - you have to factor it in and get it somehow. I've been told his medical bill by the time he is out is going to be in the high hundreds of thousands - pushing $1m...

Sorry don't mean to issue a scare warning but insurance over here isn't a luxury, it's a necessity.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

His getting treated and he will not be paying the bill?

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I don't think they are allowed to refuse treatment given the seriousness of his condition (quadraplegic) I don't know what will happen to the bill.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Thank you for the explanation. We have contacted the university to get a definite quote, but it would only cover me until May, and then he leaves university, so it seems a little pointless if I would have to start my own plan then anyway. I would rather have a rolling plan in place, as per Patriot America's immigrant health insurance plans. However, they don't cover pregnancy, so I will still need to research further, just in case.

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

Okay, thanks!

Re: Health insurance advice for UK expat
 

I know - I hate not being insured, it scares me. I also hate still waiting on my EAD. Working would make health insurance much easier to pay for! I will sort it out as of this week.