Health Insurance before we go
 

Hi Again!

Has anyone gotten health insurance before they left for the US? I just wondered as we will not be covered until we get jobs is there anything that we can get which is temporary to tide us over until we have jobs where hopefully health insurance is offered? Is it worth getting travel insurance or will that be invalid as we no longer will be British residents?

Thanks!
Annie

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

I can't answer you about whether you can get health insurance before coming to the USA, but I can tell you that travel insurance won't cover you once you arrive in the USA.

Rene

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

I arranged health insurance before I moved over. It was effective from the day I arrived. You need to either contact health insurers, or brokers in the State you are moving to. Different States have different rules.

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

Yes I used Medibroker although it was a long time ago.

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

There a wiki here that might help with some recommendations.

You just want to make sure that the temp coverage is considered creditable coverage.

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

We have a family travel insurance policy which covers the USA, wouldn't that cover us in case of emergency until health insurance was in place?
....how could the insurer prove you aren't on hols?

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

..... Travel insurance usually has an address in the home country.

Normally, if you have emergency treatment under travel insurance one claims back the costs when one returns to the home country (say UK). If you now live in the US, unless you use some other false address such as a relative's in the UK, your details would now show a US address.

You might get away with it for some minor emergency treatment, but nothing which would cover continuous treatment.

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

No. Since travel insurance implies that you will return to your home country, it dosent apply in countries in which you are resident.

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

I got Patriot America -it is great for new immigrants and im sure we took it out for me before I arrived- it only lasts tho for 2 years but whatever -it will tide you over -worth having a look into

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

UK travel insurance is for UK residents. When you land in the US with your visa in your hand you then become a US resident. You have therefore wasted your money because the policy is invalid. On trips to the US you normally have to state the duration of your visit...what will you state...bearing in mind anything less than the truth is committing fraud? Do you really think that travel insurance companies haven't come across this before? If they investigated your claim I think it would be easy for them to find out that you were not on holiday in the US.

Without valid healthcare insurance you could easily run up a bill of 5 figures for something relatively minor. IMO you do not want to be in the US without valid healthcare insurance.

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

We got a one way emigration policy from Go Walkabout. They were able to give us 28 days insurance (7 days to cover sailing across and then 3 weeks travel / critical health insurance.

We stocked up on prescription refills in the UK before leaving to give us a month or so to get started.

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

Was that travel insurance...or were they aware you were not visiting the US?

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

I have looked into this and this is a good option if you are both UKC but it would cover me and not my husband who is a USC.

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

It was a recommendation from here, and they specialize in insurance for one way travel. I knew there would be a gap between moving to the US and getting a job with health insurance. It was pretty reasonable but only covers Emergency Medical Treatment. Policy is at http://www.go-walkabout.co.uk/wordings.php

Re: Health Insurance before we go
 

You'd have to have a return ticket to prove you are on hols, and they would try to repatriate you to the UK as soon as possible to limit their costs.