What to do for healthcare for foreign relatives while visiting in USA?

[Jumpingbean]

My spouse and I have healthcare for our family. The aging in-laws are from a different country and are fully covered in their country. They come to the USA and have nothing. They usually visit for 4-6 months. Once people get into their 70s, I think we need to do more than hope that nothing happens (health wise) while they are here.

Anyone have any experience with buying some kind of health coverage for foreigners while they visit the US? Do these plans cover ER visits or general doctor visits? At their age, I think it would be wise to have a PCP while they are here. Any companies to go with? All advice welcome.

[Dave1442397]

My parents have to buy extra health insurance coverage when visiting the US. Due to my Dad's medical issues, they will only cover him for 30 days outside his home country. That coverage is paid for back home, not here in the US.

[Hula Hoop]

When we visit our relatives in the US, we always buy travel insurance.  We usually use World Nomads but there are lots of others.  Our trips are usually only 2 weeks though and we're relatively young though.  We haven't made  claim but it covers ER visits and repatriation to your home country in case of emergency. 

[Jules13]

My husband is Australian and whenever family visits from there, they most certainly buy travel health insurance.  It can be very expensive if they have health issues.  One family member had a previous stroke and another previous heart attack and travel health insurance was more than their flight over.  And that was only for 1 month. 

But, it's definitely necessary.  One visitor we had (and she was young, only 21), had complications with a UTI (she wasn't resting enough) and ended up in the ER.  Her bill was over $9000 before all the Dr's charges had even come in.  I had to call her Dad and explain it all to him.  Thank goodness she had travel health insurance though!

Julie

[erutio]

If someone racks up a huge medical bill while here and then returns to their home country, what recourse do the hospitals have to collect this money?

[former player]

If someone racks up a huge medical bill while here and then returns to their home country, what recourse do the hospitals have to collect this money?

If you try that with the NHS you'll never get a visa to come back to the UK unless you pay up first.  Buy the damn travel insurance.

[habanero]

If I as travel around Europe inside the EU/EEC travel insurance is nice-to-have but not REALLY a necessity as hospitalization will be sorted out eventually so there is no risk of incurring massive debt due to it - there are agreements in place between the various countries. Travel insurance covers luggage etc in addition and then it has much better coverage for home transport. I have right to the same treatment for the same cost as local residents have, basically without any extra insurance. If they are european that might be the reason why they don't think about it when going to the US - you don't really need it in most of Europe.

For the US it's a totally different story. When going to the US everyone must under any circumstance have health insurance as the potential costs can be massive if something happens. Assuming nothing will happen is not a viable strategy when visiting the US.

When staying for as long as 4-6 months they probably need to take out some special tarvel insurance convering stays of that length. My travel insurance is valid year-round, but there is a cap on how long I can be away each time. Don't know how long it is as its irrelevant for me in any case. Think its 6-7 weeks on my regular (through work) and 90 days on the one that comes with the credit card (valid if >50% of holiday cost is paid with said card).

[Bernard]

They buy travel insurance in their country. It's usually ridiculously cheap and is valid for 1 year. I believe my daughter pays the equivalent of $30 annually for full coverage.

[Jumpingbean]

They buy travel insurance in their country. It's usually ridiculously cheap and is valid for 1 year. I believe my daughter pays the equivalent of $30 annually for full coverage.

I worry about how valid it actually is. Is there such a thing as in network/ out of network? Having insurance in America doesn’t mean everything is covered (you guys know what I mean). I guess you go through a travel agent for the health plan? Who do you buy the plan from? Online seems like it would be easy to be taken advantage of.

[former player]

They buy travel insurance in their country. It's usually ridiculously cheap and is valid for 1 year. I believe my daughter pays the equivalent of $30 annually for full coverage.

I worry about how valid it actually is. Is there such a thing as in network/ out of network? Having insurance in America doesn’t mean everything is covered (you guys know what I mean). I guess you go through a travel agent for the health plan? Who do you buy the plan from? Online seems like it would be easy to be taken advantage of.

No such thing as in network/out of network. There's usually a clause about getting prior authorisation by phone for expenses over a certain limit. Non-emergency stuff is usually excluded and pre-existing conditions have to be notified and probably paid an extra premium for in advance.  There's always a repatriation clause so they bring you home for any long-term stuff.  Plans can be bought from a travel agent, holiday company, insurance agent or over the net- the regulation of insurance companies in the EU is pretty good, and there are a lot of well-known and respected companies competing for business, no need to go to anyone shady.

Here's a link to something pretty typical, from the UK Post Office -

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/dam/pdf/Travel_Insurance_Policy_Collinsons_A5_PL3973_01062019.pdf

[Bateaux]

Prayer.

[gaja]

They buy travel insurance in their country. It's usually ridiculously cheap and is valid for 1 year. I believe my daughter pays the equivalent of $30 annually for full coverage.

I worry about how valid it actually is. Is there such a thing as in network/ out of network? Having insurance in America doesn’t mean everything is covered (you guys know what I mean). I guess you go through a travel agent for the health plan? Who do you buy the plan from? Online seems like it would be easy to be taken advantage of.

No such thing as in network/out of network. There's usually a clause about getting prior authorisation by phone for expenses over a certain limit. Non-emergency stuff is usually excluded and pre-existing conditions have to be notified and probably paid an extra premium for in advance.  There's always a repatriation clause so they bring you home for any long-term stuff.  Plans can be bought from a travel agent, holiday company, insurance agent or over the net- the regulation of insurance companies in the EU is pretty good, and there are a lot of well-known and respected companies competing for business, no need to go to anyone shady.

Here's a link to something pretty typical, from the UK Post Office -

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/dam/pdf/Travel_Insurance_Policy_Collinsons_A5_PL3973_01062019.pdf

I pay $170/year for my family, and it covers all travels outside my municipality. My union has negotiated the price down, and the coverage up. It used to be travels up to 7 weeks long, now I see they cover up to 10 weeks. Medical is unlimited as long as you contact them as soon as you can, so they can have a little bit of control. The exceptions are if you know or should have known that you need treatment for a pre-exisiting condition. So having a heart problem or cancer is not an issue, but you can't skip treatment for it at home and then travel somewhere else and use your travel insurance. And they will try to move you home as soon as possible, to get you into the public health system here. There are some limits to dental, and for travelling into a war zone, deep diving, etc. But normally, they are pretty good. The people I know who have used them are happy with the help they got.