Save On UK Ex-Pat Healthcare in the USA by Making Smart Choices

Added: (Thu May 27 2010)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Complaining about the NHS has become basically a national pastime in the UK. But don’t forget about residents of other lands that don't get access to what Brits think nothing of. In the United States, for example, people without jobs cannot get into a public treatment service and are not given options but to go with the welfare benefits route. While President Obama's highly disputed health reform bill is set to change all that, it's possible it will be some considerable time before its full effect is felt.



For now, for people thinking about leaving the UK shores to find a new home across the pond, it's vital to set up proper expat health insurance for you and your family. Without such medical plans in place there is a definite chance that American immigration authorities will deny you entry. So, what should you do first?



If you have secured a job in the US, your employer is likely to offer a health insurance plan. Remember,though, that these do not instantly take effect, and it can range anywhere between 15 days and 90 days. As another option, there are some generic health schemes on offer, so it's a case of looking at all the possibilities.



Getting with the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), for instance, lets you access a network of hospitals and doctors, but you must pay a fixed monthly premium. The HMO usually covers all of your expenses, which includes hospital fees and any medication prescribed by the doctors' network. As far as schemes beyond the HMO, it's essential to keep an eye on the fine print and be conscious of additional costs.



The Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) is one such other scheme. This sets a fixed monthly premium, but also a 'call-pay' that can range between 0-20%. With this scheme, the PPO handles only a portion of your payments and you have to pay the rest personally. You are given access to a hospital and a doctor, whose fees for care and medication are handled by your PPO. However, consulting doctors who are not included in your PPO network will result in an extra cost.



A large number of Americans choose a third option, a Mutual Fund, which permits them to pay between $100-200 each month into an interest-bearing account. Those savings can then be drawn on as and when it is needed. The Mutual Fund scheme has the added advantage of being tax deductible.



When selecting a healthcare plan in the United States, it's important for Ex Pats to check out the differences in treatment – and as a result the incremental fees. Consider the good old NHS again: while in Britain it's normal procedure to be registered with a local GP, in the USA clinics and surgeries hardly exist. Those clinics that do exist tend to offer laser treatments and plastic surgery, so to consult a doctor you will have to visit a hospital. Remember also that, unless you see a doctor at one of the hospitals accepted by your health insurance network, you will be liable for additional costs.



Think twice before running to the hospital or emergency room – only go if you are in need of urgent treatment. They will ask you directly for their payment and you'll be forced to foot this payment up-front before filing your claim with your healthcare provider. If you need attention from a doctor, set an appointment and stick to it. While you are in the waiting room you will be asked to give some basic information, including information about your healthcare insurance. If the doctor then prescribes medication, you will be given a prescription and an invoice, along with documents for your insurance provider. Also bear in mind that medications in the USA are presently so costly (antibiotics are commonly paid for per pill) that many Americans buy them from Canada, where they don’t cost as much.



For now, nobody is sure just what effect the US health reforms will cause for British Ex-Pats living in the States. But for now the key thing to keep in mind is that, unless you choose yourinternational health insurance plan very carefully, all those unpleasant additional costs could end up becoming a very bitter pill to swallow.