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As an international student in the United States, you make a lot of important decisions. And while health insurance isn’t really a fun part of studying abroad, it’s the best way to stay healthy and happy while studying in the U.S. But before you start shopping for health insurance on your own, you can first check with your school’s international office to see if they offer a group health insurance plan. If you are lucky, then your new school has LewerMark!
If your school offers a group student insurance plan and you enroll in it, then you only need to focus on finding a good travel insurance plan to get you safely to the United States and to cover any gap in dates before your school’s group plan becomes effective for you If you come to the U.S. early, your school’s plan may not cover you!
If your school does not have a group plan, then buying your own requires smart shopping. The first step of being a smart shopper is to understand the basic terminology. Once you understand the basics, it’s time to start shopping around. We’ve compiled our top tips and recommendations for international students so you can comparison shop with confidence.
Link to terminology blog
You’ll quickly discover that there are a lot of options when it comes to health insurance. And we mean A LOT. In your search, you will find plans that are not specifically designed for international students, and we recommend you skip over all of those. But even among student-specific plans, plan costs and coverages vary widely. Again, you’ll need to understand the terminology so that you can accurately compare plans side-by-side and make the right decisions for your health and your wallet.
Your health is as unique as you are, and you may want coverages that another student isn’t worried about. For instance, do you want preventive care and/or mental health support as an international student? Do you have pre-existing conditions that will require treatment while you are studying abroad in the U.S.? Will you be playing sports? These kinds of questions can help you decide what is most important to you versus what you don’t think you’ll need.
In the U.S., there is no such thing as universal coverage, and all private insurance plans include “exclusions”. Common exclusions include care for pre-existing conditions, dental/vision care, maternity care, and alternative medicine like acupuncture and massage. This means the insurance would not pay anything toward those services. If you know a specific coverage is important to you, check the exclusions or call the insurance company before you purchase a plan and ask about it. You do not want to think you are covered for something when you may not be.
Price is a major factor to consider when comparing health insurance plans. You certainly don’t want to purchase a plan you can’t afford, but you also don’t want to pay for a cheap plan with bad coverage. Realize that saving money on the front end can end up costing you more if you need to use the insurance. That’s why it’s so important to review insurance terminology and truly understand what you are (and are not) buying. And remember, if you go uninsured and have an accident or get sick, you cannot buy insurance later and try to get it to pay for those expenses.
Certain benefits carry their own limits and some plans include a maximum limit on a per illness or per injury basis. Those limits are smaller than the annual maximum amount, which can come as a surprise if you’re not prepared. Take time to thoroughly understand how much your insurer will actually pay for a claim, versus what your out-of-pocket patient cost may be.
Different plans utilize different networks—also sometimes referred to as a preferred provider organization or a PPO. This network is usually expansive but can vary depending on your insurance carrier. Do a little bit of research and make sure there are plenty of preferred providers in the area you’ll be studying in. You’ll want to verify an in-network doctor and hospital are within a convenient distance. Going to an out-of-network provider can potentially cost thousands of dollars more than if you go in-network.
You’ll want to be careful if you plan to do any additional traveling abroad during your college years. Some health insurance plans are only available within the U.S. and won’t apply if you choose to travel to other countries. Be sure to review territory restrictions and ask about specific locations if you know you’ll be on the move.
It may be boring, but it is important!
Armed with the right vocabulary and our top tips, you can compare health insurance plans and prices with confidence. Taking the time to think about what’s important to you and to research plans that meet your specific requirements is time well spent.
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