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As an F1 visa student, you probably have many questions about health insurance options for international students studying in the United States.
It’s important to understand that having health insurance is crucial for protecting your health and finances in case of unexpected medical emergencies.
One option available to F1 visa students is to purchase an insurance plan through their school. Many high schools, universities, and colleges work with companies to offer student health insurance plans that can provide coverage for various medical services, including doctor visits, hospitalizations, mental health care, and prescription drugs.
Another option is to purchase a plan on your own. This can be a good option if your school does not offer health insurance plans or if you prefer to have more control over your coverage.
However, it’s important to carefully research different plans to ensure they meet the health insurance requirements of your school and provide adequate health insurance coverage for your needs.
This blog covers the most common questions about insurance for F1 international students and can help you find the best international student health insurance plan to meet your needs.
While there is no US government requirement for international students to buy health insurance, most schools require it. Not having an insurance plan can actually prevent you from attending the school of your choice!
The requirement to purchase health insurance is meant to ensure international students are protected from unexpected medical expenses that can be quite costly in the US.
Again, the US Department of State does not require any specific medical insurance coverage. However, you need to check your school’s minimum requirements for international student insurance plans.
For example, the University of New Mexico’s health insurance requirements for international student insurance include:
Be sure to contact your academic institution’s international office to determine if they have specific requirements for international student medical insurance.
The short answer: It depends on your school’s requirements.
Most international students in the US fall into one of these three health insurance scenarios:
Your middle school, high school, university, or college may mandate that you purchase health insurance from a mandatory group plan, which means you have to purchase health insurance from a provider selected by your school.
This can be helpful because your school will have already done the research and selected a provider they feel provides comprehensive coverage for its students and meets their requirements.
However, for some international students, the mandatory group plan can cost more than expected or perhaps not that international student’s medical needs.
In this case, you may be able to complete a waiver form to opt out of the mandatory group plan. However, you will need to show that you can obtain insurance that meets or exceeds your school’s coverage requirements.
Another scenario could be that instead of mandating you opt into the mandatory group plan, your school may provide voluntary health insurance plan(s) from which you can choose. This means you can review the medical insurance plans and select the plan best for you.
You may also have the option to submit a waiver form if there isn’t a student health insurance plan that fits your needs,but you will need to show that you can obtain coverage that meets or exceeds your school’s coverage requirements.
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If your school does not have a mandatory group plan, or provide voluntary plans from which you can choose, you have the option to shop for, select and purchase medical insurance that meets your needs and budget, and provide proof of coverage to your school.
It’s understandable that for many international students, every penny counts when studying in the US, but if you’re looking for ways to save money, cutting your medical care coverage is not a wise decision for many reasons.
First, if you do not show your school proof that you have health insurance that meets its requirements, it could place a hold on your student account. This would mean you could not register for classes, which could ultimately affect your legal status in the country and prevent you from finishing your studies.
Secondly, while the US has stellar health care, if you don’t have your own coverage, you could face extremely high medical bills and prescription costs.
So while F1 international students aren’t required by the US government to have health insurance, not having it can cause extreme stress and be financially devastating.
International students in the US usually scratch their heads at the word “deductible.” We get it, it’s probably something you have not encountered in your home country.
Simply explained, a deductible is an amount you must pay before your insurance plan “kicks in.”
For example, you have a $500 deductible and you received a $1,000 medical bill. You must pay the $500 deductible first, then your insurance company will pay the remaining $500.
Generally speaking, plans with higher deductibles will have lower monthly premiums (payments), while plans with lower deductibles will have higher monthly premiums.
It’s always important to review deductibles when reviewing insurance policies, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions, as they can really impact your out-of-pocket expenses.
F1 visa students can look for a plan provided by “Obamacare”, also known as the Affordable Care Act. ACA plans are provided by private insurance companies, but they must meet minimum requirements established by the US government. But it can be a bit tricky to find a plan that takes into account your non-immigrant status.
Lewerglobal specializes in health insurance for international students so you can easily purchase an insurance policy that provides comprehensive coverage and meets your school or university requirements.
Now that you have a better understanding of insurance for F1 international students, here is a summary of the next steps you can take:
We provide other important tips on what to consider when shopping for insurance on our F1 Student Health Insurance page under “acquiring health insurance for F1 visa students.”
Whether you’re an F1 visa student attending an English language school, private elementary school, secondary school, university, or community college, Lewerglobal offers affordable and comprehensive coverage for you.
Learn more by visiting our F1 Student Health Insurance page.