Health Insurance – Yes, you definitely need it!
As a young and healthy adult, you might think you have no reason to spend money on health insurance. No doubt, you can come up with thousand and one reason to show how your money could be better spent. Paying tuition, paying for a car, buying books, on groceries or on occasional entertainment.
In spite of all your reasons, you need health insurance. It is as important as paying your tuition, if not more important. Health insurance protects you in case of serious illness or an accident. If you think health insurance is expensive, read below to find out what it will cost you to pay your medical bills without any help form insurance companies.
Medical emergencies often come without prior warning. Here in the United States, the average cost of a trip to the emergency room is almost $1,100. If you need an ambulance, that is another $500 extra. This cost does not include any tests, follow-up care or necessary hospitalization. The $1,100 covers just the cost of the emergency room doctors and supplies. If X-Rays are needed, expect your bill to increase by at least $125 to $150. MRI will drive up your bill by another $1,800. CT scans average $1,200.
For something as simple as a sore throat, a trip to your family doctor can cost you anywhere from $150 - $350. That is without adding up any necessary tests. A single blood test can add up another $200 to your bill.
For many international students, health insurance is not something you will have to worry about. In most schools, health insurance is mandatory, thus it becomes part of your tuition bill. In that case, you will pay it without thinking about it. The problem arises when the university or college you are attending does not mandate it. In such cases, you will have to purchase your own health insurance. It can be confusing to pick the right kind of coverage. With a quick online browsing, I found websites of a few health insurance companies that provide insurance to international students.
You can receive online quotes from all three websites listed above. A basic insurance plan is going to cost you about $50 a month to purchase it from above listed companies.
A word of advice:
Even if you have a healthcare insurance, it is always a good idea to check with your healthcare provider if they accept that insurance policy. Or you can give a quick phone call to your insurance provider to get a list of healthcare provider will accept your insurance policy.
Lastly, the basic insurance provided by the school or purchased online usually does not provide dental or vision insurance. Thus, I suggest that you visit a dentist and optometrist and have them do a thorough check-up before coming to the US. If you need a dental procedure in the US, it can more expensive than flying back home and getting the procedure done in Nepal.
If you have any questions regarding picking a right kind healthcare insurance or any other questions or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment or email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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