Coming to a new country is exciting. You have the opportunity to make new friends and experience a whole new culture, all while studying at a new school. To ensure that you make the most of your investment in your education, you should protect yourself with a health insurance plan that works for you. It’s crucial to do your research. When it comes to making the right decisions for your education, purchasing health insurance while you are studying outside of your home country should be at the top of your to-do list.
When you have decided to study in a foreign country, it is important to plan ahead. While different insurance plans will provide different levels of coverage, not everything will be covered in each one—items that are not part of your plan are called exclusions.
If you have a long-term “pre-existing” condition, you should look closely at the exclusions of any potential plan to make sure you find the coverage that is right for you and plan for any medication needs in advance. For example, if you take specialized medication, consider bringing along a supply with you when you come to the US to last until your next trip home. Since every person has different medical needs, you need to plan ahead to make sure your time abroad is safe, productive, and enjoyable.
Since many schools may require a specific level of health insurance, you’ll want to research in advance to make sure any coverage you purchase on your own will meet the requirements of your school. Almost all colleges, universities, and even high schools will want to make sure their students are insured because if a student does not have insurance, the cost of an accident or illness can literally cost millions of dollars! Who can afford such a bill? Not the student, nor the school. Even if you are healthy and don’t think it is important to get health insurance, the school you attend may “mandate” that you purchase some kind of insurance protection while you are in the US, either through the school directly on a group plan, or on your own, with an individual plan.
No one plans on getting sick or injured, but if it does happen, you will be happy that you purchased health insurance in advance. In the US, if you go to the hospital without insurance, you will be expected to pay for your care directly, and the US has the most expensive healthcare costs in the world! Imagine if you found yourself in the hospital, and after your recovery, you are handed a bill for several thousand dollars. The average cost for one night in a non-profit US hospital is $2,289. Depending on your ability to pay the bill, you may be pursued by a collection agency to repay the costs.
That’s why health insurance for international students is so important. Dealing with the challenges of a new language and culture is already stressful enough. So trying to tackle the US healthcare system on your own without insurance can turn your trip from enjoyable to frustrating.
Imagine you rent a car for a weekend in the country, but you don’t buy insurance for it. You’ll likely worry the entire time about whether or not you will scratch or damage the car, distracting from the fun of your experience. Purchasing health insurance while you are in the US is the same way. You may think you don’t need to buy insurance while living in a new country, but why take the chance and then worry about it? Do yourself the favor of having one less thing to worry about.
Getting the right health insurance is for your own benefit. While your school, your parents, and even the government all want you to be safe and healthy, at the end of the day, insurance is meant for you. You will be doing yourself a favor if you do the research and find an insurance plan that works best for you.
Begin all your planning by researching important information about the country you will be visiting. Your research should also include looking into health insurance for international students. If you have any questions about finding the right insurance plan for your studies, you can contact LewerMark and we will be more than happy to help you.
