Health insurance in the United States
Before you leave for the United States, have you considered taking out appropriate health insurance?
Are you planning to relocate, study, do an internship or simply take a vacation in the United States? In all these situations, take out international health insurance for yourself and your loved ones. The United States, with its high medical costs, can pose a significant financial risk in the event of illness or accident. With the right insurance, you can leave with peace of mind, protected against unforeseen financial, medical and legal contingencies. Our health insurance policies specially designed for the USA cover a wide range of expenses, including repatriation, hospital costs, third-party liability and other emergency medical costs.
Student insurance
United States
The insurance that covers your stay for your studies in the United States.
From
27€
- Worldwide coverage
- Maximum age: 35
- Covers emergencies and accidents
- Covers hospitalization and routine medical care
- Up to €250,000 per year
- Standard dental and optical expenses up to €550
- Contraception coverage + vaccines
- Maternity care
- Covers pre-existing conditions
- Repatriation assistance
- Civil liability
- Individual protection
Expatriate insurance
United States
International health insurance to cover your expatriation to the USA.
From
93€
- Worldwide coverage
- Minimum age: 14
- Maximum age: 65
- Covers hospitalization and routine medical care
- Up to €1,500,000 per year
- Maternity coverage up to €4,000
- Coverage of assisted reproduction up to €1,500
- Covers pre-existing conditions
- Coverage of pharmaceutical costs up to €370
- Optional dental and optical care
- Maternity plus option
- Prevention and well-being as an option
- Optional repatriation assistance
- Optional third-party liability
Travel insurance
United States
Health insurance to cover your trip to the USA.
From
30€
- Worldwide coverage
- Maximum age: 85
- Covers emergencies and accidents
- Up to €500,000 per trip
- Covers loss, theft or destruction of baggage
- Repatriation assistance
- Travel assistance
- Civil liability
Any questions? Need some advice?
Information on health insurance in the USA
Political system: Bicameral Federal Presidential Republic
Capital: Washington DC
Area: 9,363,123 km²
Population: 329 million
Languages spoken: English, Spanish
Currency: US dollar
The U.S. healthcare system
If you’re looking to understand the U.S. healthcare system, the first thing you need to know is that it’s the most expensive in the world. On average, it accounts for almost 15% of an American household’s budget. In fact, a medical consultation can sometimes cost several hundred dollars, and medical operations can cost staggering amounts. For example, patients often have to pay 6-figure sums to be hospitalized. Also, there is no compulsory health insurance scheme in the United States. As a result, many citizens are uninsured and hope never to have to undergo a medical operation.
How does the US healthcare system work?
The U.S. healthcare system is financed by non-mandatory private insurance companies and two main federal programs that target only a portion of the population:
- Medicare, which covers the over-65s and people with specific illnesses. In particular, kidney disease requiring dialysis.
- Medicaid, which covers the poorest 20% of the American population.
The cost of medical care in the United States is extremely high, and a large majority of the population cannot afford it. That’s why, in 2014, Obama introduced the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare or “the Affordable Care Act”, which is a major reform of the American healthcare system. This law requires all citizens to take out health insurance with a private insurer on the Healthcare.gov website. The government regulates an insurance market and provides financial assistance to enable 32 million Americans to obtain health coverage. A policy based on an egalitarian redistribution of public funding between precarious and healthy populations, to cover as many people as possible.
Are expatriates subject to the Affordable Care Act?
Knowing that expatriate status is very specific and that President Trump has signed an executive order restricting the conditions of application of the Affordable Care Act – ACA. To learn more, find our article on the Obamacare law under Trump.
Expatriates are covered by the ACA if they live in the U.S. for more than 12 months, or if they hold a greencard. They must have health insurance. However, this doesn’t mean they have to take out local American insurance, as there are many exemptions. Don’t forget to take out health insurance for the USA.
Finally, if you work in a company with more than 50 employees, you will probably be obliged to subscribe to your company’s medical insurance, which is compulsory for all company employees.
How do I consult a general practitioner or specialist in the USA?
Consulting a general practitioner or specialist in the United States is extremely simple. In fact, if you benefit from a network of practitioners, as you do with insurance Gold Expat, you can visit our practitioner locator site. Alternatively, a number of applications can put you in touch with medical practitioners based on your geographical location.
To see a doctor, you can also book a consultation at a hospital or clinic.
- Consultation with a general practitioner: $120 to $230
- Consultation with a specialist: $300
- Consultation with a pediatrician: $200
- Consultation with a gynecologist: $125
- 325 mg blister pack of tylenol (paracetamol equivalent): $14
- Diabetes-related drugs: $500 to several thousand USD/year
Pediatric service in the United States
On average, the cost of a visit to a pediatrician if you’re not yet insured is around $150. For example, if your child is a newborn and the pediatrician comes to your home frequently to make sure his or her growth is going well, you could be looking at fees of up to $3000 a year. However, this depends on the city you live in.
Paramedical care in the United States
Paramedical care (physiotherapy, chiropody, etc.) in the United States may be covered by private insurance. This is what we recommend, given the high cost of consultations. Fortunately, booking a consultation with a physiotherapist can be done online. Indeed, many physiotherapists have websites that allow you to book a consultation both in the office and via teleconsultation.
For example, a consultation with a physiotherapist costs between $75 and $350, and a training session costs $225. With Gold Expat insurance, you can take advantage of a medical network in the USA offering discounts of over 50% on this type of expense.
What is the average cost of medical operations in the United States?
- Uncomplicated maternity: $25,000
- Appendicitis surgery: $15,000
- Covid-19 treatment: $73,000
- MRI: $1000 to $5000
- Coronary bypass surgery: $75,000
- Knee replacement: $25,000
- Standard dental examination: $50 to $200
- Dental extraction: $50 to $900
- Dental implant: $1000 to $3000
- Caesarean section: +$15,000
- Cataract surgery: +$3000
- Root canal treatment: $300 to $2000
- Tonsil surgery: $4000 to $8000
- Gallbladder surgery: $10,000
What’s more, a dental appointment can also be very expensive in the USA. For example, a simple dental consultation costs $50, while a dental extraction averages $280.
How much does hospitalization cost in the United States?
On average, a night in hospital costs at least $10000. However, if your hospitalization requires intensive care, the bill is likely to be much higher. Hospital prices are very high, because insurance companies negotiate individual prices with hospitals. What’s more, insurers don’t offer discounts on drugs. In other countries, on the other hand, organizations negotiate prices with hospitals and drug manufacturers.
- MRI: $1000 to $5000
- Blood tests: $100 to $3000
- X-ray: $150 to $3000
Healthcare networks in the United States
First of all, in the United States, private insurers dominate the market. Many private insurers have direct partnerships with healthcare networks. Sometimes these insurance companies and healthcare networks are the same entity. The “Kaiser Permanente” healthcare network in California is one of the largest, if not the largest, healthcare network in the USA. It comprises more than 38 hospitals, over 622 policlinics and other outpatient facilities. The network has over 18,000 doctors and 180,000 employees, including 50,000 nurses. These care networks enable policyholders and insurers to reduce the cost of care if policyholders only consult healthcare staff from the same network.
Finally, one of the criteria for choosing health insurance in the USA is the medical care network with which it is affiliated. Our insurances allow you to benefit from negotiated hospital rates from the best healthcare networks. With our expatriate insurance, you have access to over 690,000 medical practitioners, 6,700 hospitals and 68,000 pharmacies.
The Emergency Department in the United States
If you’re looking to contact the emergency service, be aware that calling an ambulance comes at a price (between $400 and $1200 and $2000 to $200,000 for a rescue helicopter). Ambulances, like most of the American healthcare system, are privately owned, so their service comes at a cost.
The two types of emergency services are :
- Urgent Care: emergency service designed to deal with everyday accidents such as sprains, angina, etc. This emergency service is much cheaper than the second.
- Emergency Room: this emergency service is designed to deal with serious accidents and extreme situations where the victim’s life may depend on it. There’s no waiting, but this emergency service is very expensive.
- In many cases, you can find a “health center” in the USA through an official website that locates the nearest center so you can be taken care of quickly in the case of “simple”, non-extreme emergencies.
Finally, please note that the emergency number in the United States is 911.
Pregnancy and childbirth in the United States
First of all, the cost of maternity care in the U.S. is extremely high, up to $60000 for the entire maternity ward. You can choose the gynecologist who will accompany you throughout your pregnancy, which will determine which hospital you will be assigned to. When it comes to giving birth, you’ll have 3 options: at the hospital, at the birthing center, where midwives and coaches will accompany you through the process. Finally, you can choose to give birth at home with the help of a midwife. They will come directly to your home.
- Cost of an ultrasound scan: $1000
- Price of an MRI: between $1000 and $5000
Do I need health insurance in the United States?
If you are an expatriate, or plan to expatriate to the U.S., take out international health insurance. Medical costs in the United States are exorbitant. Taking out international health insurance means you won’t go broke the first time you need major medical treatment.
What’s more, French social security will only cover you for the first 6 months, or even the first 3 months. Coverage will be at the same level as in France, i.e. much lower than in the United States.
Which insurance should I choose for the USA?
Mondassur recommends that you take out international health insurance as soon as you leave for the United States. We recommend U.S. insurance Gold Expat, which is perfectly suited to your needs:
- It covers 100% of actual hospital costs. You need to be 100% insured, as American medical costs are among the highest in the world.
- Coverage of 90% or 80% of your routine medical expenses, depending on the plan you choose. Like hospitalization costs, coverage for routine medical expenses in the U.S. is essential. A simple consultation with a general practitioner can cost upwards of $200, and if you or a member of your family falls ill, these costs will quickly become significant.
- Third-party liability coverage, meaning that in addition to being insured, you’ll also be covered in the event of unintentional damage to others.
- Repatriation cover ensures that you are covered in the event of repatriation for medical reasons or death in the family. Indeed, the cost of flights to the U.S. is not insignificant, which is why this coverage is necessary.
Finally, don’t waste any time: get a free quote on our website and/or contact us by e-mail or telephone for more precise information on your specific situation!
Find out more about health insurance in the United States
- Visas and Health in the United States
- Travel and Insurance in the United States
- Living in the United States and Expatriate Insurance
- How to study in the USA
- The United States: top destination for learning English
- Travelling to the United States: the compulsory ESTA tax
- Formalities for traveling to the United States
