Health Insurance For International Students
Although health insurance is not required for international students attending Northampton Community College, International Student Services strongly encourages all international students to obtain health insurance for the duration of their studies.
Why is Insurance important?
Health insurance is important because medical care in the United States can be very expensive. Even a simple visit to a doctor, urgent care, emergency room, or hospital can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars if you have to pay the full amount yourself. Health insurance helps reduce what you have to pay when you need medical care. Depending on your plan, it can help cover things like doctor visits, prescriptions, laboratory tests, urgent care, and hospital treatment.
Having insurance does not mean that all medical care is free. You may still have a deductible, copay, or coinsurance. However, insurance can significantly reduce your financial responsibility and protect you from very large unexpected medical bills. It is also important to remember that health insurance is different from simply having access to a doctor. In the United States, you generally need to understand how you will pay for healthcare before you need it.
Important Insurance Terminology:
- Annual/Per Event Maximum: Refers to the maximum amount insurance will pay towards your medical bills that are eligible for coverage. After this limit is reached, you will be responsible for 100% of the remainder of your bills in the specified timeframe.
- Deductible: The amount you pay for covered health care services before your insurance plan starts to pay. Example: $1000 bill with a $200 deductible = Means you pay $200 before the insurance plans pays $800.
- Copay: A copayment or copay is a fixed amount for a covered service, paid by a patient to the provider of service before receiving the service.
- Premium: A specified amount of money that the insurer receives in exchange for its promise to provide health insurance to an individual. Basically, the price you pay per month for your health insurance plan.
- In-Network vs Out-of-Network: A provider network is a list of the doctors, health care providers, and hospitals that an insurance plan contracts with to provide medical care to its members. These providers are called “network providers” or “in-network providers.” A provider that isn't contracted with the plan is called an “out-of-network provider.” Out-of-Network providers may not be covered by your insurance plan.
Tips for Selecting a plan:
- Check what the plan covers.
- Understand the deductible.
- Check the out-of-pocket maximum.
- Make sure there are in-network doctors and hospitals nearby.
- Check prescription medication coverage.
- Learn how to use your insurance plan.
- Compare the premium, deductible, copays, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximum.
Recommended plans:
LewerMark
International Student Insurance
For all other students, you have the option of purchasing insurance. However, by not having an insurance plan you are risking your physical, mental and financial well-being.
