Marina was in her third year of college in Brazil when she decided to cancel her course and spend 6 months studying in Florida.
She arrived in the new country and soon made new friends, was developing the language, but one day she realized that something was different.
Appendicitis in the middle of the trip led to her having emergency surgery and without health insurance, the bill was much higher than she could have imagined. Yes, this can happen to anyone, so it is crucial to pay attention to the details of your health insurance policy.
Here are some points to keep in mind when choosing your student health insurance.
What is an F1 visa?
Those who wish to study in the United States need an F1 visa, which should be required by those who plan to attend a university, college, seminary, conservatory, language program, and other academic institutions.
Most international students in the US must have an F1 visa, and their dependents an F2 visa. There is no particular health insurance requirement associated with the F visa.
However, most colleges or universities impose a health insurance requirement on their international students in order to enroll and register for classes.
One of the requirements of the F visa is that the school must monitor and make sure that the student remains in compliance with the institution’s health insurance requirements.
Complete Health Insurance Coverage for F1 Visa
When preparing to study in the US, you need to make sure that your health insurance is comprehensive, for this, there are a few things that need to be checked:
Coverage on school breaks
If you choose a plan linked to your school and it does not have the option of coverage for school breaks, it is important to have a solution for these periods.
Mental Health Coverage
Mental health coverage is very important, especially in periods of great change, the student may need psychological care, so having this option is essential.
Maternity Coverage
As a preventive measure, maternity coverage is another important point to think about when taking out health insurance for international students.
Usually, there is no specific amount for maternity coverage, but it is common for schools to require that at least 80% of the costs are covered for prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care.
Pre-existing conditions coverage
When arriving in a new country as a student, having pre-existing conditions covered by your health insurance is critical. Often schools require that your health insurance plan include this coverage with or without a waiting period.
Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage
By law emergency medical evacuation coverage is not required for F1 visas, however, this differential can and does support you in the event of an unforeseen event, transporting you to the nearest medical facility that can provide the appropriate care (transportation may have either ground or air coverage, depending on the plan).
Repatriation
With repatriation coverage, the family of the insured has financial assistance in the event of death outside their home country.
Schools often require this coverage, and even if this is not the case, it is important to have it. It provides all the necessary logistical planning and financial coverage for the family should a tragedy befall the insured.
Conclusion
We never expect that something will happen at such a special time as on a study trip to a new country, however, thinking about the unforeseen before they happen can guarantee you the necessary support in an unexpected situation.
If you are preparing to apply for an F1 visa, keep in mind that the safer you are, the more you can enjoy this period of learning and personal and professional growth.
