audio

2015, we have decided to visit family outside of the US for several months.
During this period we will not need medical cover in the US and as our premiums are very high (age) I would like to cancel cover while we are out of the country. Two problems arise as far as I can see:
1) I understand that Florida 2015 enrolment is November 15 2014 to February 15 2015, so if we return say in September 2015, we won’t be able to re-enrol until November. How do we obtain medical cover during this period if we do not qualify for open enrolment?

2) Not having continuous health cover would levy a fine from the IRS or would that be waived if I have travel insurance during my trip?

The easiest solution is to keep my monthly payments but that would mount up to several $$$.
I would be grateful for suggestions.

nun

If you will be considered as US resident through out your brief period abroad you will be required to maintain your health insurance.

petitefrancaise

Will your US health insurance cover you abroad?
Ours does and the payments are considerably cheaper than taking out travel insurance.

If you're going to the UK as US resident, you will need health insurance cover. Someone on here posted during the summer that she needed a visit to an NHS ER dept, no treatment needed but she got a bill for about £900.

hungryhorace

Said person should dispute the bill, given emergency treatment is - regardless of immigration status - free in the UK.

From: Advice for overseas visitors - The NHS in England - NHS Choices

"If you are taken to A&E (accident and emergency department), a minor injuries unit or walk-in centre for emergency treatment then this is free of charge."

petitefrancaise

Can't remember who it was but it was one of the regulars who posted about this. Maybe she'll be along and let us know how it turned out.

SanDiegogirl

You need to look into being "covered abroad" very carefully.

Some policies say they cover you, but the small print indicates it is done as out of network and what the insurance company will reimburse is up to them.

SanDiegogirl

Don't forget that emergency treatment on travel insurance is for stabilising you and in severe cases the country in question would rather repatriate you to your home country for continued care.

If you cancel your existing cover then - should you be repatriated - you will be faced with paying for all costs.

Married2abrit

It depends on the emergency. In April I had a kidney stone while in Harrogate. Every doctor and nurse we asked said " this is an emergency, you won't be charged.". However the following month I received a letter from the "oversees visitors manager" employed at the hospital to inform me that hospital staff were misinformed and NHS rules changed in 2010. They gave me the huge volume of policy to download to see if I was an "exception" to being charged. Unfortunately I did not meet any of the exceptions, so my insurance is still dealing with a bill of over $1,000. No surgery for this price just a bed on a ward and pain meds ( no food, no fluids, no saline). But I was grateful for the help at the time.

GeoffM

That's the thing, I think. Once you're stabilised that's your emergency treatment and free ride over. Get wheeled to a ward and the costs start accumulating. This is kind of vaguely mentioned in the next sentence HH did not quote:

audio

Thank you all for your replies and suggestions. BTW I am going to visit France my former resident country not the UK.

Petitefrancaise thanks, pity I cannot use my carte vitale.

petitefrancaise

Ah well....you'll know that visiting the doctor's surgery will cost you only €23 and that any prescriptions he writes will be dirt cheap even if you have to pay all the costs. If I were going back to France, I would save a fortune on the acne creams/lotions that my teenagers use!! Maybe you could save part of the cost of your insurance premiums that way?

I'd also get my family's glasses replaced there and probably visit the dentist too. €50 for a checkup and cleaning....

Bonnes Vacances!

audio

Many thanks.
Does make you wonder where the US dream up their fees.