Is It Advisable For International Students To Get A Private Health Insurance Plan?
As an international student working toward a Master’s degree in Public Health, I am often asked about my opinion about the possibility of having PSI health insurance. My response is always the same. “It depends.” This statement, unfortunately, leads many prospective students to believe that there are no options when it comes to health insurance coverage. Unfortunately, this could not be further from the truth.
First, I want to point out that even if there were no such thing as psi health insurance, that doesn’t mean that it’s not a very viable option. For one thing, unlike what most people think, being employed and earning a living outside of the United States does not necessarily exclude you from gaining coverage in your home country. In fact, while a lot of coverage is only available through employer-sponsored health plans, you may be able to find either subsidized or private health insurance plans through state programs. Some states also have a high-risk health insurance plan for those who work at certain industries or have certain preexisting conditions. If you fall into one of these categories and have a pre-existing condition, you can benefit from either a PSI health insurance plan or an HMO health insurance plan.
Now that we have that out of the way, let me give you some examples of how this type of coverage can work for you. For one, if you are an international student and you currently reside in the United States, you can obtain coverage under a plan that allows you to be covered while you’re attending school in the US. The paperwork involved with this can be done at your local social security office in your state. In addition to getting temporary health insurance coverage while you’re enrolled at your college, you can get long term care insurance as well. Long term care insurance pays benefits to the injured person or the person who has a family member who requires constant medical care. For you, the social security number that you provided when you filed taxes will be the number that will be assigned to your benefits.
If you are an international student and you reside outside of the US, there is another option available to you. You can obtain coverage through a Student Health Insurance Plan. Unlike a PSI plan, this type of insurance coverage will allow you to obtain health coverage even outside of the United States. A Student Health Insurance Plan will allow you to choose between private insurance companies that offer insurance coverage or a State Health Insurance Plan. With the State Health Insurance Plan, you will only pay for insurance if you have health problems or a pre-existing condition while you are in college.
Even for international students who do not reside in the United States, they can still obtain health insurance. They can purchase a private plan through an accredited agent in their home country or they can apply for a F-1 visa. The visa process is an involved process but it can be done very easily by contacting a special representative from a US accredited immigration agency.
The most important aspect of a Private Health Insurance Plan for international students residing outside of the United States is that they must meet the same guidelines as US citizens for enrollment. They must also disclose pertinent medical information and background information about themselves to the insurance company. This is required by the law and must be done for each and every policy purchased. All questions regarding health coverage and premiums must be answered. If an international student has questions regarding their health insurance coverage or if they need additional information about what the premium will be like, they should contact the agent or the insurance company directly.
One of the main benefits of filing taxes with a Private Health Insurance Plan for international students like yourself is that you are covered regardless of whether you are a United States citizen or not. Students residing in foreign countries have a higher risk of being injured or killed in accidents. Being insured will give you some peace of mind as you will know that you are protected. You can purchase an inexpensive plan for a whole family or you can purchase a more expensive plan for yourself.
In order to apply for a private health insurance plan for international students like yourself, you will need to fill out an application which will be forwarded to the US Department of State. Once your application has been approved you will receive a F-1 visa which is your passport for the time that you are in the country. Once you become a US citizen you will have to reapply for a F-1 visa. For most people this process is not very long, but for others it can take quite a while. There is a waiting list and once your application has been accepted you will be able to get a Private Health Insurance plan in the US.