Hi All,
We finally got my Marriage Visa last Friday! So we are planning to move in with my Wife's Parents in late June (After my 3 month notice at my current job is over!). Of course none of the recruiters will help me out much until we arrive in the US. Which will mean we dont have any medical insurance for a few months. We've looked into paying privately and it seems to cost an enormous amount.
How have other people solved this? getting tourist insurance with the flight could cover us for a month or so, but beyond that if it takes me any more a few weeks to get a position or if the medical doesnt kick in for 3 months or so (Apparently US empolyers can/do delay these benefits?).
Any suggestions or help would be great!
Ryan/Jennifer & Baby Kyle.
Welcome Ryan.
You are an optimist .I have been in this country 43 years and have never solved the medical insurance disaster problem in this country.We have regular discussions on this board the last one I think "do you prefer UK or US Healthcare" Fri dec 2005 in the politics forum.
I will put a note in so it will come and you can read it to get some idea of what you have landed in.
Good luck.
I hope some Britneters have some ideas on the subject.
Congratulatons and welcome!
We've looked into paying privately and it seems to cost an enormous amount.
Yup. That's the way it is here. Sucks nuts, you think there must be a better way, but........
(it still costs loads, even when you have a plan through an employer -we have a good plan, but still had to pay $3000 for our mouse's share of a routine surgery/one day hospital stay.)
My MIL visits regularly, and she buys an annual travel insurance plan which covers medical costs. maybe you could get one of those? Thing is, I suspect there would be small print excluding your claims if you weren't a bone fide tourist.......
Good luck...
Advice!!!! don't ever get ill here!
It's going to hurt your pocket whichever way you do it, oh and welcome to the madness,lol
Necessary evil indeed, at least when you've had NHS to help out in the past.
Various schemes are advertised in The Union Jack newspaper, a national monthly paper for British ex-pats in the US but I have no idea which are good/bad.
My favourite part about health insurance is when you have it but the insurer/healthcare provider/you get in a big three-way argument over who is responsible for payment on certain things.
Just waiting to see who pays for an x-ray I had recently - the provider said I was long overdue, the insurer says I've had too many in too short a period and I say "Bugger off" to the lot of them if they want any money for it - wasn't life threatening anyway roll
I say get the 12 month coverage before you leave home. It's not alot more to pay and you have a fifty fifty chance of getting a claim. My nephew was in the hospital emergency here whilst on vacation. We recieved the bill when he left even though we gave the hospital the insurance info, so we sent it on to the insurer in England. They paid the ER bill without question!! Sorry can't tell you the insurer it was 8 years ago!!
If you can do something before you leave that would certainly be good. I've been here for 18 months and still don't have medical coverage. Hubby's last jog wanted some exhorbitant ammount to opt into their scheme and we plain couldn't afford it. Luckily he started a new job recently, and when he's done the 90 day thing we will be able to opt into this one.
Dental insurance is something else you need to think of too.
Welcome, and Good Luck. smile