Internship or holiday? Make sure to check whether your local insurance provider can cater for your healthcare needs while traveling outside the country by reviewing the different international coverages that might be available to you. Keep reading!
Understand how to tailor a travel health plan that effectively addresses your international travel medical needs.
What is health insurance?
Health insurance gives you the encouragement you need in the event of illness or accident through a medically designed approach to cost that allows you to concentrate on treatment. Generally, health insurance covers the cost of hospitalization, ambulance services, doctors’ consultations, and sometimes prescription medicine. It may cover a part or the entire deductible and coinsurance amounts. Some plans offer additional coverages such as dental and eyewear.
If you intend to travel abroad, having health insurance covering all regions you will travel to visit, including medical evacuation, repatriation after further treatment, or in worse case scenario death outside the country is a must. Ensure that your policy makes room for these considerations, if possible!
You can have some primary health plans like PPOs and HMOs which have broader international coverage, but it comes out with a cost since you will be charged a higher premium.
Global health insurance was created with the goal of meeting the requirements of international travelers, employees, and foreigners in a country. Such coverage may even be compulsory in some nations without state sponsored medical care or have limited access for non-citizens. Health coverage of this nature can be also helpful in short foreign visits for example, backpacking trips to regions with poor healthcare systems.
Private plans
Individuals and families who are looking for global medical insurance may benefit from a private plan policy. Those traveling outside the country will be covered for their healthcare expenses along with coverage for preexisting conditions, maternity, prescriptions, vision and dental care, and tax deductible savings as well! Such policies are even combinable with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).
Such policies will be appealing for anyone who lives long-term out of the country and local legislation does not grant access to their homeland’s managed healthcare policy. Such policies may be purchased for a year at a time and wherever the policyholder is, they will be covered around the world. They can even be bundled with travel cancellation policies for even more security.
To qualify for a private plan, an individual is first required to go through a medical assessment process and file relevant health documents for an underwriter’s review. After conducting the evaluation, an underwriter will approve or deny the application, regions or countries may be removed from the insurance policy coverage to limit risk and expenses. Policies may differ from one global health plan to another; therefore, it is necessary to choose one that caters to your specific needs.
Can I use my U.S. health insurance abroad?
A lot of Americans fantasize about moving outside the United States. This includes executives who are moving for work, retirees, and students taking gap years and wanting to experience life differently. Knowing how health insurance works internationally can be extremely helpful before making this leap.
If you qualify to use domestic health insurance when traveling, then ensure that you possess the card along with a letter from your doctor outlining your medical history and existing conditions. Medical providers are likely to assist you when they have evidence that their coverage will pay for it, moreover, it facilitates the claim filing process if there is a language barrier that makes the situation worse.
Global medical plans might make international travel easier as purchasing an overseas medical plan is less expensive than adding international coverage to an American plan. Meanwhile, special overseas policies have higher minimums and deductibles, but might cover U.S. treatment more comprehensively.
Additional leading U.S. insurers are available that guarantee economical global coverage. Also, these companies provide emergency response services that can direct immediate care along with the necessary information and instructions for the specific country.
