One thing you need to have for your loved ones when they are planning to visit you in the US is health insurance. If anything should happen to them it is comforting to know they are covered. Falling sick or getting an injury can be very costly, especially if you get emergency services and have to pay from your pockets. Paying for an ambulance or emergency helicopter charges (depending on the emergency and injury) for access to critical care for a lengthy hospitalization period can be a financial burden. This is why you need good health insurance. Consider the following primers when choosing one.
- Understand the basic terms of the USA healthcare
The purpose of paying for health insurance is to get benefits in return. In the USA, there are a variety of health insurance companies. Finding a policy that saves you from spending too much money when faced with an emergency can be difficult. Given that insurance terms are different from one country to another, it is best to understand some of the insurance terms that are common in the US.
- Deductibles
Find out if your health insurance covers for deductibles. A deductible is an initial fee you have to pay for health care services before the insurance company starts to pay. Some companies have deductibles while others do not.
- Copayment
Refers to the fixed amount you will pay on the counter after receiving any health care service. Copay amounts are different based on the health care service you receive.
- Coinsurance
Quite similar to copay but instead of paying a fixed fee, you pay a fixed percentage of the total bill you have accrued for the health service. It is often difficult to know how much you owe the hospital until you receive the hospital bill and calculate the percentage you have to cover yourself. The percentage will vary from one health care provider to another and from one insurance company to another.
- Decide whether to go with a fixed coverage plan or a comprehensive plan
Fixed coverage plans are affordable compared to visitor comprehensive plans. This is suitable for small ailments but should you have a bigger emergency then you will get covered to the extent that you have paid for. Good health insurance for parents visiting usa should be comprehensive if you want to enjoy maximum health benefits when faced with sudden emergencies.
- Inquire about pre-existing conditions
Pre-existing conditions refer to medical conditions that had been diagnosed or not before you took the insurance policy. There are different terms and conditions for pre-existing conditions and you should familiarize with them. Check if your insurer covers all your pre-existing conditions before purchasing any policy.
It can be difficult finding an insurer that covers preexisting conditions for a visitor’s insurance. For the most part, leading to your coverage, your insurer depends on the medical information you provide and no medical tests are required. Usually it is a medical history spanning 30-180 days.
Whereas most insurance companies do not cover preexisting conditions for visitor insurance, they may consider an acute onset of pre-existing conditions. This refers to a situation where you have a sudden attack or recurrence of a preexisting condition that can rapidly mutate into a critical state requiring medical care attention within 24 hours. However, this only applies if your illness qualifies as acute in the onset, and not preexisting because then the insurance might refute your claim.
- Understand state limitations
While there are no federal laws that govern travel insurance, different states have different rules regarding different insurance policies and this is where compare travel insurance comes into the picture. For instance, there are states that prevent residents from buying specific insurance plans from some insurance providers. However, such restrictions will only prevent you from purchasing insurance in that particular state. You will still be able to use your insurance within that state if your billing address points there or when you visit it, but you will never be able to buy or renew the plan there.
The sole benefit of having health insurance is to know that you are prepared to face the unknown when visiting a foreign country.
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