Foreigners and immigrants moving to the U.S. face many new challenges living outside their home countries. Securing medical coverage can be one of those challenges, but with everything else on your plate, you might not even be thinking about it! While the U.S. typically requires a health policy for immigration, we strongly recommend it, regardless of whether you’re a single young person with no medical issues, a parent of a large family, or a retiree.
Traveling to and living in a new country brings new stressors, risks, and unexpected developments. You don’t want to be left paying huge hospital bills if the worst happens. From basic coverage to comprehensive support, you have options to protect yourself and your family in the United States. Let this guide help you find the best health insurance for foreigners in the USA.
If you are an expat moving to the USA, there are three providers that we recommend the most:
Cigna Global
Cigna Global is a provider with worldwide coverage. It offers excellent service and benefits to clients, with personnel on the ground in major countries to provide an immediate response when needed.
Cigna also offers a flexible plan that lets you choose which modules and benefits to include in the policy. Tailoring your U.S. health policy is an advantage that will help you budget expenses effectively.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Solutions Worldwide Premier is a very popular health insurance provider in the USA. It offers more comprehensive benefits than Cigna Global in its base plan, alongside a premium level of customer service.
BCBS Global Solutions Worldwide Premier is a partner of Blue Cross Blue Shield of America, a leading insurer in the USA. This gives BCBS Global Solutions a wider network of high-quality doctors and hospitals included in its policies.
BCBS Global Solutions Worldwide Premier
Unlimited annual and lifetime coverage
Pre-existing conditions covered with prior insurance
For U.S. citizens abroad or foreign nationals in the U.S.
IMG offers several affordable medical insurance plans in the United States. It is the best option for foreigners on a tight budget who do not want to compromise on basic coverage.
IMG’s Bronze and Silver plans provide basic medical care coverage. Their Gold and Platinum plans offer additional benefits to clients.
We recommend the Gold and Platinum plans if you’re staying for more than a year, as they offer comprehensive benefits.
IMG Global Medical Plan
Affordable global coverage with flexible options
Coverage area options based on where you live or work
Health Insurance Coverage for Expatriates in the USA
The United States government does not require most expatriates or even U.S. citizens to obtain health insurance in America.
However, the cost of medical services in the U.S. is so high that you risk spending all your savings to pay the bills.
While it is generally not required, it is highly recommended that you obtain U.S. medical coverage to save on hospital bills and gain access to appropriate care.
The requirements for obtaining medical coverage in the USA also vary depending on your country of origin and visa type. Some visa types will require you to obtain at least basic coverage.
Because medical costs in the U.S. are higher than the average of most countries, living without health insurance isn’t a great idea.
The U.S. has a relatively higher rate of medical inflation, and doctors tend to provide more tests and scans before treating a patient.
Some of the higher costs are due to U.S. medical facilities often using the latest equipment and providing above-average service to clients.
Health Insurance for Non-US Citizens, Foreigners, and Immigrants
Healthcare in the United States is largely privatized, and public healthcare is provided only to a small portion of the population. This is why most people, including the locals, have private health plans.
The federal Medicare program is available only to individuals who are retired. The Medicaid program, on the other hand, is reserved for the poorest citizens in the country. If you’re looking for new immigrant health insurance, you won’t qualify for either of these programs.
If you’re coming to work in the States, your employer will usually offer a policy that extends coverage to immediate family members.
However, this is often not enough to shoulder the high average cost of doctor visits, medications, emergency room trips, and hospital stays.
Most of the time, the best health insurance option for non-U.S. citizens is an international health plan, which provides access to a wide range of medical treatments worldwide.
Health Insurance for New Immigrants: For most foreigners seeking an immigration visa, health coverage is not required. However, this rule has recently changed and may change again. Some visas, like the J-1, do need proof that an approved provider covers you. Check the J1 Visa Insurance Requirements for the most up-to-date information for your specific visa type.
Health Insurance for Foreigners in the USA and the ACA Penalty
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, outlines the shared responsibility provision, also known as the individual mandate.
Its goal is to ensure that all U.S. citizens and permanent residents have access to quality, affordable health coverage. To pay for it, the government needs most individuals to buy a minimum level of coverage.
All U.S. citizens living in the country are subject to individual shared responsibility provisions. Permanent residents and foreign nationals who have been in the United States long enough during a calendar year to qualify as resident aliens for tax purposes are also covered by the provision. The category includes non-resident aliens who meet certain presence requirements and elect to be treated as resident aliens.
Non-residents, including international students on F, J, M, and Q visa categories, are exempt from the individual mandate for the first 5 years of their stay in the country.
For individuals in the J category, including teachers, trainees, au pairs, students, and travelers, the ACA exempts them from the individual mandate for 2 years.
Beginning with the 2019 plan year (for taxes filed in April 2020), the ACA or Shared Responsibility Payment no longer applies. This means that if you don’t meet the requirements of the individual mandate, you won’t have to pay a fine moving forward.
Exemptions From the Individual Mandate
Foreign nationals who live in the U.S. for a short enough period that they do not become resident aliens for federal income tax purposes are exempted from the individual mandate.
If you plan to stay in the U.S. for less than a year, a travel medical plan may be enough to cover your needs. This is also an excellent option for younger travelers who need basic emergency coverage.
Make time to research whether you need travel insurance for the USA before you enter the country. You should also verify whether the policy needs to be issued from your home country, the U.S., or both.
Most travel plans provide coverage for accidents and illnesses, saving you from the significant medical expenses associated with doctor check-ups and hospital visits.
At the same time, this type of policy will give you access to pharmaceutical care and translation services, should you need them.
For more information on short-term travel plans, see:
If you are a non-citizen, immigrant, or international citizen, we recommend getting a global medical plan. We have guides to help you choose the International Health Insurance plan that best suits your needs.
Cost of Health Insurance in the USA
Global medical plans offer a variety of options. The more affordable catastrophic coverage, which only covers worst-case scenarios, is ideal for travelers on a budget.
On the other end of the spectrum, comprehensive medical plans typically include physician visits, hospitalization, prescription drugs, laboratory services, and management of chronic diseases.
The most affordable global medical plan we offer ranges from $400 to $500 per year, while the most comprehensive plans can cost $30,000 to $40,000 per year.
Short-term travel medical plans start at approximately $1.50 per day and can cost more than $10 per day for older clients or those seeking more comprehensive coverage.
How Much Coverage Do I Need For Health Insurance in the USA?
The trouble with answering this question is that healthcare costs in the U.S. aren’t typical. One thing is clear, though: they’re some of the highest in the world.
Paying out of pocket for healthcare in the United States is a recipe for draining your bank account very quickly.
With medical coverage, depending on the plan, you can expect to pay between $15 and $25 for a copay when visiting a doctor in your plan network.
Specialists run a bit more, and many plans also have copays for urgent care, emergency visits (around $250) and prescription drugs. Without a health plan, these costs can be 10 or even 100 times as expensive.
Healthcare costs also vary by illness, procedure, and facility. It’s easy to compare the different costs of different procedures with one another in the same facility.
But something like getting your appendix out will cost you a lot more if you go to a hospital that doesn’t accept your insurance plan.
Be careful when choosing your plan that you also research the hospitals you will be living near, to be sure you’ll be covered.
Depending on what plan you choose, yes. Working closely with our licensed insurance brokers, you should be able to build a plan that works best for you, your healthcare needs and your budget.
For example, a young, healthy individual with no dependents or pre-existing conditions may choose a lower level of coverage that protects against major medical expenses from accidents or serious illness.
If you are older, have family members that need coverage, have a health condition that needs managing, or all three, you still don’t have to get completely comprehensive coverage to be safe.
You can work with us to put together a plan that covers what you need and doesn’t charge you extra for what you do not.
There’s a lot to think about when choosing a U.S. health policy. Here are some of the most important things to remember:
How long will you be staying in the country?
What is the nature of your work as an expatriate?
Do you have any underlying medical conditions?
How comfortable are you in paying above the maximum coverage amount when needed?
How much can you allocate per month for coverage?
You should also consider how easy it will be for you to return home if you need additional services.
This could be necessary if you have a serious medical condition that requires repatriation (or transported back) to your home country in an emergency.
If you will not be staying for a long time in the U.S., say only for a few months to a year, and you have free insurance in your home country, you may be able to get a lower maximum coverage amount.
Sometimes, your job will require you to stay for a minimum number of years, depending on the contract.
In this case, you will probably be required to stay in the U.S. for medical treatment whenever you seek a healthcare service.
This will impact your U.S. health insurance cost, as you might pay a higher maximum coverage amount.
You have to consider the distance, availability, and doctors in the medical institutes near you before you choose to take your chances with medical bills.
Some facilities will charge much more for the same procedure than the hospital down the street. Remember that healthcare costs are extremely high and U.S. citizens are routinely bankrupted by them.
While you may live a healthy lifestyle, that doesn’t stop accidents from happening or diseases from developing. Especially if you are young and healthy, it may feel unfair to have to purchase protection against something that’s unlikely to happen.
But when disaster strikes, you’ll be glad to have spent a little extra every month to avoid spending many thousands later.
For your peace of mind and for your physical and financial health, we always recommend health insurance for non-residents in the USA.
How Much Insurance Coverage Should Foreigners Purchase?
For foreign nationals, buying a U.S. health policy is a personal decision. It is up to you how much you are willing to pay based on your current health, the nature of your work, and the length of stay.
Consider these and the other factors outlined in this article to identify the most affordable medical insurance for you.
Policy maximums typically range from as low as $50,000 per period to as high as $5 million. Maximums generally are per person. Certain plans, like BCBS Global Solutions Worldwide Premier and Cigna Platinum, offer unlimited coverage.
To make it simpler for you to choose the type of health coverage to get, here is a guideline:
For stays of 5 days to 1 month, we recommend obtaining medical coverage of $50,000 to $100,000.
For stays of 1 to 3 months, we recommend coverage of $100,000 to $500,000.
Look for a policy with at least $250,000 of coverage for a period of more than three months but less than a year.
We recommend obtaining at least $1 million in coverage per year for a stay of one year or longer. Get more if you have a family that will be living with you, especially if you all want to be treated in the USA. If you or any of your family members have a critical illness or plan to stay in the U.S. for several years, consider a plan with unlimited coverage.
If you are older or are traveling with more people to the U.S., the risk of making a claim becomes significantly higher. In this case, you will want to opt for full-coverage health insurance plans with higher limits and more comprehensive coverage.
Choosing the Right International Plan
Ensure you select the correct policy type. We recommend getting a travel medical plan for short-term travels lasting a year or two.
Group Options: If you have multiple employees abroad, consider a group international plan to save time and money managing their coverage.
What Are the Costs for Acute or Emergency Care in the USA
People who call us often ask about the cost of an emergency room visit. We always quote them the current average, and they are usually surprised at the numbers.
According to a study by the National Institute for Health, the average cost of an ER visit is $1,900 to $2,100. However, this depends on the type of medical emergency you’re experiencing, so you may end up paying more or less than the specified range.
The charts here show some of the pricing variations you may encounter across hospitals and clinics. The minimum and maximum charges vary depending on the illness. This price range can catch you off guard if you’re diagnosed with a medical problem.
One of the most significant benefits of an international health plan is that it can also be the most cost-effective form of health coverage. You will often receive the best healthcare service at the lowest prices.
You can receive treatment from your doctor at their office or clinic, and in most cases, the cost will be 3 to 4 times lower than getting it at a hospital from the same doctor without medical coverage.
Final Thoughts on Getting Medical Insurance in the USA
Medical benefits provide peace of mind, knowing that your expenses will be covered should you become ill or require emergency medical treatment.
The peace of mind that comes with having medical insurance in the USA comes at a price, but the cost of a health policy is almost always lower than paying hospital bills out of pocket.
To help you make a better decision on which policy to get, view our list of the top international health insurance companies and look at the benefits and exclusions of each provider.
If you need assistance, we have licensed advisors who are always available to walk you through the process and explain the differences among providers.
We will make the application process easier and more seamless for you, so you can focus less on finding the right U.S. health policy.
Kamela Hutzley is a seasoned writer and editor from New Jersey, now based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She writes on health, education, travel, and cultural integration, holds an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College, and is a certified somatic therapist with her own practice.
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