To coincide with the online publication of “Living and Working in America” – a book providing advice on living in America – HowTo.co.uk takes a look at the costs and features of healthcare in America.
Anyone who is thinking of living in the USA, or wants to work or study in the US, needs health insurance. But what are the costs? How does the system work? What are you covered for?
How does the American healthcare system work?
Unlike in the United Kingdom, the US government has essentially no involvement in the healthcare industry. Hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, pharmacies, and the like are predominantly run by for-profit companies. When people need healthcare, they have to pay for it. Any long-term visitors to the USA need to be aware of how the American healthcare system works, and plan accordingly.
What does healthcare cost in America?
There is no free healthcare for foreigners. In fact, healthcare is very expensive. If you have an ear infection, for example, you can pay $200 to see a doctor to write a prescription for antibiotics, which will cost another $75 to fill. If you have an accident or a sports injury, hospital stays run around $7,000 a night and even minor surgeries can easily cost over $20,000. Americans can’t understand why the British complain about the NHS.
How will I be able to afford medical treatment?
Instead of paying for their own healthcare costs, most people arrange health insurance. A health insurance policy will pay for much of your medical care, within the individual plan’s limits and conditions. Of course, a monthly health insurance policy is not cheap either. Budget a couple of hundred dollars a month for health insurance. And it’s complicated too, just to make it even less pleasant to arrange. Here’s some ways to get insured.
How can I arrange health insurance?
· If you are working in America, your employer will almost certainly have a group health insurance plan. This is likely to be the cheapest way to get health insurance, and coverage can be obtained for a discount for spouses and children too.
· If you are studying in America, students should contact their college or university, who can provide information on discounted health insurance for their students. Some universities require students to have health insurance. Students usually need to arrange insurance before the beginning of the term (semester in American) or they may have to wait until the next semester.
· People wintering or travelling in America need to arrange individual insurance, either with a company in the UK as travel insurance, or from a US health insurance company. It will be more expensive than the group plans available to employees and students, especially for older people. A UK based insurance policy will probably be cheaper, but will have a larger deductible, and be more restrictive as to which doctors you can see, than a US health insurance policy.
· The deductible is the amount you have to pay before the insurance company pays any of the bill.
I’ve heard of HMOs and PPOs – what are they?
There are two main types of plans to choose from – an HMO and a PPO. What are they, and what’s the difference?
· HMO (health maintenance organization) is a network of doctors and hospitals employed, or under contract to, the health insurance plan. You have to see one of the plan’s doctors, or receive treatment in the plan’s hospitals, or your the insurance company won’t pay the bills.
· PPO (preferred provider organization) also have groups of doctors and hospitals. The insurance company will pay bills incurred at these doctors and hospitals, but you also have the flexibility to see a doctor not in the plan and the PPO will cover a percentage of the bill.
Is the expense worth it?
Remember to factor in health costs as you make your plans to travel to America. Many other living costs in America – petrol, housing (depending on where you’ll be living), taxes, clothing, food – are cheaper than in the UK and you’ll probably find that your overall living costs are similar to those at home.
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