With the fast-paced life, it is essential to have health insurance, which keeps you from constantly worrying about how to make ends, meet and being hopeful of never being ill. But we all know injury and calamity can enter anyone’s life at any time or place, be it in your country or a foreign land.
There are many health insurance options available in the United States for its citizens, but they differ for many foreigners who have entered the country for specific reasons.
This blog unravels the truths of health insurance taken by citizens and foreigners and saves you from a spiral of financial difficulties.
Type of Health Insurance for U.S. Citizens
Health insurance is called a “safety net” because it sets a contract between a company and an individual to cover the medical cost whenever needed, such as for a doctor’s visit or injury. One can understand the basis of health insurance and choose which suits them the best.
Here are a few health insurance that U.S. citizens can avail of.
Affordable Care Act Marketplace Plan
The ACA, also known as the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare, was created to help people get health insurance.
Marketplace plans primarily cover pre-existing issues, provide preventive care, and offer other advantages like doctor visits, specific lab tests, and prescriptions. Obamacare plans have many benefits for citizens living in the U.S.A.
Medicare
This insurance is funded by the federal government and operated as a program initially designed for people who are 65 or older. The plan is the same throughout the nation and also helps disabled people under 65.
Medicaid
Another federally funded and state program that helps low-income families, senior citizens, and people who suffer from physical and mental disabilities. This program is not uniform throughout the country and is operated on a state-by-state basis with different names.
COBRA
COBRA means the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, a program that caters to covering health insurance while you are changing jobs, or receiving low hours of work. This plan covers your health insurance and benefits you in medical, dental, and vision plans.
Employer-Sponsored Insurance
Many U.S. citizens get their health insurance covered by their companies, as health insurance is vital coverage provided by companies to their employers.
Type of Health Insurance for Foreigners
A different set of insurance takes care of foreigners; some important ones are:
Affordable Care Act Marketplace Plan
Foreigns with a defined migratory status can access to health insurance with the Affordable Care Act or ACA Law.
Travel Health Insurance
Many travelers visit the USA every year, and healthcare travel insurance helps cover the immediate unexpected expenses that one faces during their trip, offering financial protection in a foreign land.
International Health Insurance
Foreigners who are visiting the U.S.A for a long time can avail of this insurance, which provides broader coverage and preventive care both within and outside the country.
Student Health Insurance
This insurance is for students who are F-1 and J-1 visa holders and studying in the U.S.A. as it is affordable and includes broader coverage. It is also modified according to the student’s visa requirements.
Employer-Sponsored Insurance
Foreign people working under the U.S.A. can avail of this insurance as they are holders of H-1B and L-1 visas that allow them to work in the U.S. The employer-sponsored insurance is funded by the companies they work in and provides most health benefits.
Primary Differences between Foreigners vs U.S. Citizen’s Health Insurance
Despite these insurances, there are significant differences between the insurance of a citizen and that of a foreigner.
Eligibility Criteria
Being a citizen of the U.S.A. automatically makes you eligible for all government-funded health insurance programs. On the other hand, foreigners depend upon their visa type and seek the best health insurance type for them.
Cost
Foreigners face high-end disparity as they have to pay more for even their short trip to the U.S.A. and get insurance at unsubsidized rates. U.S. citizens qualify for subsidized ACA, Medicare, and Medicaid plans.
Course of Providers
A U.S. citizen can choose through their health insurance provider, but any foreigner visiting has a restrictive provider and has to pay extra for specific services if needed generally.
Emergency
A health plan covers most expenses for a U.S. citizen. On the other hand, not all insurance plans cover emergency issues for foreigners.
Benefits
No extra benefits are given in any plan for a foreigner unless they avail of employer-sponsored insurance, whereas all the benefits are covered for a U.S. citizen.
Final Words
There are a number of health insurance plans with different benefits that citizens and foreigners can avail of for their respective reasons. One has to be mindful, especially a foreigner, of understanding the terms and keeping in alignment with their visa requirements, their travel or number of days stay, and their healthcare needs during that duration.
However, at Preventty – USA Specialty Insurance, you can choose from a wide range of detailed and tailor-made insurance types according to your needs and specific conditions or provisions.
