The International Schools Review Forum

The health insurance for the school I may be working at doesn't cover me when I return to the US. If I came back to the US in the summer for around a month, is there a cheap plan that provides basic coverage when back in the US? Has anyone dealt with this before?

Along the same lines does anyone know of a good insurance company for a month of car insurance when returning?

Thanks.

I know that travelers insurance companies, companies that will insure travelers to the US or US citizens/residents traveling abroad, will not cover US citizens/residents on visits home to the US. However, the current law allows for you to get insurance for short periods even if you are not currently insured.

There are two options. One is short-term insurance, and that is affordable. (About $300/month in premiums. I don't know what the coverage includes.) However, it will not cover pre-existing conditions and I don't know if it allows for wellness checks.

The other option is through the exchange. That is NOT affordable. I looked into covering myself in the US while I was abroad when the benefits package from one of the schools that made me an offer did not provide more than emergency coverage in the US. If I end up with a serious illness, I want to come home for treatment, etc., and I would like to have my wellness checks every summer in the US. It would cost me over $8K/year in premiums, and that was with a 6K deductible.

I would check with the General or one of those for automotive insurance. I plan to just rent a car when I come home. I think it will be cheaper that way.

Thanks for your answer, I appreciate it. I figure the car insurance won't be difficult, but the medical seems like a pain and costly.

Its going to be hard getting insurance for only a month, what you will likely have to do is get a policy though a major company like Geico for something like 3 or 6 months on monthly installments and then cancel it after the month when you depart.

I'd strongly support the rental car option as well. I use Enterprise "Month or More", an economy class vehicle is around USD$500 includes unlimited mileage, no charge for additional drivers, free exchanges in your vehicle class, free 24/7 road side assistance, includes basic liability insurance and free pickup or drop off (such as at the airport). You can also use various free upgrades and get up into an intermediate class vehicle.

As too medical/health insurance. It really depends on your state or federal exchange and what you need or want. The exchanges can be great or can be very pricey, and provide almost no coverage you'd be able to use. The short term plans are more medical than health insurance they wont cover things like routine procedures and exams, they are essentially catastrophic plans that cover hospital care if your in a major accident. The other issue with the long term plans is that you usually have to wait 30 days or longer before coverage takes effect.

The options I would look into are:

1) Finding low cost providers that provide deep discounts for cash payments.
2) Consider attending a local college or Uni in the area for summer course that would give you access to a student health center.
3) Probably the best option is checking with your state and enrolling in Medicaid. Since the month you will be in the states you will essentially be unemployed. You could get whatever exams you wanted done and prescriptions refilled for next to nothing. This would also cover you for an accident or other major catastrophe.

You could also check with insurance companies in your country of employment as they may offer policies that work for you. However, this would be a major red flag at the school for me. You can't be the first person with this issue, and it's a big one!

For medical, you might want to look into Seven Corners' Liaison International Travel Medical insurance Policy. It's good for trips from 5-45 days, and as long as your "true, fixed, and permanent residence" is not the US, you should be good. They have two other policies that cover longer stays (Continent and Majestic), and they state that for US citizens, the US will always be considered their home country no matter what for those two specific policies - but that's apparently not the case with the Liaison International Policy. It might be worth a look and maybe a call to confirm. I found this information here: https://www.sevencorners.com/travel-med ... ce/#/quote

I've gotten their travel insurance before but didn't have a claim then. I also had a Seven Corners group health insurance plan for two years as an expat, and did have claims. I found them very easy to work with and never had a problem. That's why I'd be willing to take a look at what they offer.

Don't buy insurance, it's a scam designed only to benefit the insurance company. Page after page of 'exclusions' mean you're covered against lightning strikes but anything like a stroke, heart attack, or cancer will remain uncovered.

Thanks for the info on Seven Corners, will definitely keep that in mind should I have one of those awkward gaps of no insurance - had them as primary insurance for 5 years and had nothing but positives. Our son needed nose surgery that included rhinoplasty, and we paid $44 of a bill that was circa $25k. Ah, medical costs in the US..... The billing person at the surgery center - who had never heard of Seven Corners - also said she had never worked with any one so up front and responsive. So would definitely recommend them.

Thames Pirate wrote:
> You could also check with insurance companies in your country of employment
> as they may offer policies that work for you. However, this would be a
> major red flag at the school for me. You can't be the first person with
> this issue, and it's a big one!

Many, if not most schools do not provide more than emergency coverage in the US, if that much. This includes top tier schools. It is just too expensive!

I said local insurance companies--as in, go to the equivalent of your local Geico office--to see what they offer. For example, my insurance has a travel policy for about $10/year. I do have to add this option onto the policy my employer provides, but it isn't hard or expensive to extend my coverage to my trips home. Additionally, they have policies that cost a bit more for people not insured through this company.

I generally agree with @Wonder, however there are some ISs that do provide medical and health while in the US. I cant reconcile @Thames Pirates experience with my own. I know of no medical health insurer that provides a US coverage rider for anything lose to $10/year.

One of the benefits of WE, I suppose.

I suppose so.